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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25684243">I'm Only Happy When It Rains</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jokerindisguise/pseuds/imagineyou'>imagineyou (jokerindisguise)</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jokerindisguise/pseuds/jokerindisguise'>jokerindisguise</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Two Worlds Collided [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Umbrella Academy (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Apocalypse, F/M, Fluff, Jealousy, Other Fun Surprises, Reader Insert, Reader is Number Eight, canon violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:14:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>69,689</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25684243</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jokerindisguise/pseuds/imagineyou, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jokerindisguise/pseuds/jokerindisguise</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/17855195/chapters/42134828">Somebody to Love</a>. When you're dropped into an alley after Five uses his power to save you all from the apocalypse of 2019, the last thing you expect is to find out that the year is 1962 and you're stuck in Dallas, Texas. Worse yet, you're alone with no clue as to the fate of the other members of The Umbrella Academy.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Diego Hargreeves/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Two Worlds Collided [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1340362</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>187</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>479</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Face the Final Curtain</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It's finally here after almost a year and a half! Thank you to anyone who has waited all this time with me. And thank you to anyone just finding Somebody to Love and this sequel now. I really hope y'all enjoy this.<br/>As with STL, each chapter title will be a lyric from a song used in that episode. The fic title is from 'I'm Only Happy When It Rains,' by Garbage.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You didn't know how it got to this point. You never thought that when Five sent you all back in time, that you would somehow end up fighting in World War Three.  </p>
<p>You had barely been able to reunite with the others before the world fell apart. You thought it was just typical that you were finally coming together as a team, sans Five, just in time to avoid another apocalypse. God, you hoped you prevented <i>this</i> apocalypse.  </p>
<p>As chaos erupted on the street, you propelled yourself forward.  </p>
<p>There were people screaming and crying as Russian soldiers stormed down the street, killing people in their wake.  </p>
<p>You saw Vanya stop a missile while Klaus set an army of the dead on the living soldiers. Luther protected Klaus from a blast aimed at him while Allison rumored soldiers' heads into exploding.  </p>
<p>You pushed yourself from the ground, floating several feet above the street as you used your power to keep yourself hovering in the air. You spread your hands, calling to the iron in the soldiers' blood and any metal they had on them. You made a slashing motion in the air, causing several soldiers to seemingly implode while others started bleeding from their eyes and noses.  </p>
<p>You reached out to stop another missile aimed at Allison and redirected it to explode a tank farther down the street.  </p>
<p>You heard a volley of gunfire and noticed Diego halting the projectiles and redirecting them to take out the soldiers aiming their weapons at him.  </p>
<p>You didn't notice Five until Diego yelled at him for being late.  </p>
<p>You glanced over to see Five's gobsmacked, stricken expression as he took in the warfare around him.  </p>
<p>You lowered yourself to the ground, intent on going to see him, when Hazel appeared beside Five. You remembered Hazel as much younger, his solemn face looming over you as he let Cha-Cha hit you over and over again. You took a step towards them, wanting to figure out what the hell was going on, before Five disappeared in a flash of blue light with Hazel. </p>
<p>"Well, fuck," you muttered.  </p>
<p>"Y/N!" Diego called, jogging towards you until he was at your side. "Look," he breathed, his eyes wide as he stared up at the sky. </p>
<p>The others joined the two of you, staring up at the promise of armageddon raining down on all of you.  </p>
<p>You so badly wanted to reach out with your power, but you wouldn't be able to stop several nuclear missiles. You wouldn’t be able to save everyone this time. You wouldn't be able to save anyone. You wouldn’t even be able to save yourself. </p>
<p>You shared a look with Diego, seeing the hopeless desperation in his eyes, and pulled him closer to brush your lips against his.  </p>
<p>"It's okay," you told him. "We did our best, right?" </p>
<p>Diego smiled ruefully and shook his head. "We're zero for two on the apocalypse front. How is that our best?" </p>
<p>"We're together at the end again," you offered, feeling hopeless as your end came crashing down around you.  </p>
<p>You felt Klaus put a hand on your shoulder and managed to offer him one quick smile before the bombs fell. </p>
<p>As you watched the cloud of destruction approach, you hoped that wherever Five went, he was going to fix this. He had a habit of trying to avert the apocalypse and you only prayed that he had more success with this one. </p>
<p>You tightened your grip on Diego's hand as the cloud reached you and everything went dark after a flash of searing pain.  </p>
<p>When you crash landed in the alley behind Commerce and Knox street in Dallas, you didn't know what was happening at first. It was dark and stormy. Lightning flashed and thunder roared as your clothes got soaked within moments of falling to the pavement.  </p>
<p>The fall only reminded you of the injuries you sustained in the days leading up to the apocalypse. Between the wounds from Vanya and Leonard at the cabin and then fighting Vanya and the Temps Commission on the day the world ended, you could hardly breathe for a moment. You were stunned as you pushed yourself to your feet, stumbling to hold onto the brick wall beside you in an effort to stay upright. </p>
<p>"Diego!" You called, knowing that no one would likely hear you over the weather raging around you. "Klaus!" You couldn't help but try, feeling helpless as you searched the alley for any hint that one of the others had joined you.  </p>
<p>You reached out with your powers, trying to feel any of the tokens you had made for the others. You didn't feel them, though. You couldn't find Diego's knives or Klaus' dog tags. You couldn't feel any hint that someone you loved was nearby. </p>
<p>"Five, you son of a bitch," you growled. You turned to kick the alley wall, hissing at the pain that traveled up your leg from the impact. "What the fuck, Five?! Are you fucking kidding me?" You heard the metal all around you start to rattle, reacting to your rage.  </p>
<p>Your tears mixed with the rain drops streaming down your face. Your eyes burned as you glanced to the sky, wishing for another flash of blue light that would signal the arrival of someone else. When no one else appeared, you let out another wordless yell, feeling utterly helpless. </p>
<p>You sank to your knees and put your face in your hands, wondering what the fuck you were supposed to do.  </p>
<p>You had waited out the storm in the alley, since you didn't even know where you were. You figured once it was daylight, you could venture out and see if you found anyone else. You thought that they might have been scattered. But once you stumbled out of the alley, you found that you really didn't know where you were.  </p>
<p>When you finally made it out of the alley, you learned that you weren't even in a familiar time period.  </p>
<p>"Nineteen sixty-two," you muttered incredulously, staring down at the newspaper resting in the stand not far from where you arrived the night before. Five had sent you back over fifty years into the past. You felt anxiety wash over you before you managed to stumble away in search of a clue as to what you were supposed to do. </p>
<p>When you found out you were stranded in Dallas, Texas over two and a half decades before you were supposed to be born, you barely resisted the urge to scream until everything made sense again. </p>
<p>It took you a while to realize that you weren't going to find anyone else. Were they dead? Did Five get them lost in time? What if you were the only one to land in the 1960s in Dallas? What if Diego was stuck in 1920s Chicago or Allison was stuck in 1890s London? You didn't know what you were supposed to do or where you were supposed to go, but all you could think was that there was one man who likely would have some kind of clue about what you were meant to do now.  </p>
<p>As much as you hated the man and could have happily spent the rest of your life without seeing him again, he was the only person you knew who existed during this time period.  </p>
<p>You were going to have to find Reginald Hargreeves.  </p>
<p>While you weren't proud of yourself, you had taken to pickpocketing to get by. You usually preyed on the type of assholes who had a few dollars to spare and made sure everyone knew it. It was only so you could find food and clothe yourself. You told yourself it was about survival. If you didn’t take care of yourself, then you would never find the others.  </p>
<p>Were you okay with stealing? No. Was it necessary? Yes.  </p>
<p>When you realized you would need money for your trip, you took up your post in the alley where you landed when you first got to Dallas. Usually, you stayed out of sight until you found your target. Sometimes, you could use your power to lift a nice watch or piece of jewelry off someone and sell it later to fund yourself for a few days.  </p>
<p>Now, you knew you were looking for a decent payday.  </p>
<p>You found your victim outside of Stadtler's just beside the Avon theater.  </p>
<p>A young black kid had tried to enter the restaurant, but one of the patrons had tossed him out. You watched the older white man yell at the kid, getting in his face and spewing all kinds of hatred in the kid's direction.  </p>
<p>You slowly crossed the street, keeping a feel out for any approaching cars.  </p>
<p>You waited until the kid walked away before you bumped into the man, making a show of stumbling into him and taking way too long to be able to clumsily pull yourself away.  </p>
<p>"Watch where you're going, little lady," the man reprimanded, shooting you a glare. </p>
<p>"Thanks for the tip," you told him, taking a few steps away. You smirked at him and held up his wallet, wanting him to know that you were the one who took it, so he wouldn't blame it on the kid. "And thanks for the cash." </p>
<p>"Why you--" he started, his face growing even more flushed with rage. When he took a step towards you, you used your hold on his watch to propel him back into the restaurant. You used your power to slam and lock the door of the restaurant, allowing yourself a few precious moments to get away.  </p>
<p>You ran down the street, taking different twists and turns to make sure you evaded anyone who might be looking for you. Once you were sure you were safe, you took a moment to go through the wallet. You grabbed the cash and dumped the rest on the street, knowing that if any respectable citizen happened upon it, it would end up back with its owner.  </p>
<p>"Not that he deserves it," you muttered to yourself before you pocketed the money.  </p>
<p>You didn't want to call any more attention towards yourself, so instead of stealing a car, you opted to take a Greyhound bus to your destination.  </p>
<p>Once you boarded the bus, a bag of your meager possessions your only companion, you couldn't help but wonder if any of the others were alive. You had several hours of the trip to think about where you left off with the others. </p>
<p>Your final hours with Luther had been spent yelling at him. Allison had been so scared for Vanya and Five had been so sure of his plan to take you all to a different time period away from the big apocalypse of 2019. Klaus had been newly sober and mourning his lost love while Vanya had been doing her damnedest to take out thirty years of her frustrations on the world. </p>
<p>And then there was Diego. You felt a smile tug at your lips at the thought of him. The last time you saw him, he was promising that you would have your talk. The talk that would hopefully settle everything between you. You would finally get everything out in the open. You would finally know where you stood with him and how you were going move forward together.  </p>
<p>You wished so much for him to be there at your side. You wanted to wrap your arms around him. You wanted to take solace in his presence. You wanted to share at least one more kiss. You wanted to have that talk.  </p>
<p>You ignored the sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach that told you none of those things would probably happen now. </p>
<p>When you arrived back in the city where you grew up, you took a few moments to yourself to stand just outside of the Academy. Well, it wasn't the Academy yet. Those walls didn't house superheroes and painful memories. Instead, all you would find inside was an old rich guy who had yet to royally fuck up raising eight children.  </p>
<p>You knew you couldn't just barge right in without knowing what you were getting yourself into. You knew the Reginald Hargreeves of the 60s was not the Reginald Hargreeves you had grown up hating. You would have to observe him before you even thought of approaching him. </p>
<p>You managed to get a motel room while you conducted your research. You did your best to infiltrate Reginald Hargreeves' string of followers. He seemed to be alarmingly popular and threw parties at his mansion quite often.  </p>
<p>It took some work and subterfuge on your part, but you finally managed to score an invite to one of his parties from one of the people he had wrapped around his finger. You pretended to be fascinated by the man in order to get closer to his followers. You pretended that he was anyone other than the asshole who had locked you up for many years of your childhood and gave you more problems than a therapist was equipped to handle. </p>
<p>When you were confronted with Hargreeves for the first time in what felt like decades, you had to stop yourself from sending the first sharp, metal item you could feel out with your power through his head.  </p>
<p>You presented yourself as Miss Bowie, knowing that it was likely safe enough of a name to use. You perfected a fake laugh and stood on the outskirts of his little parties, listening to the bullshit he fed the people clinging to his every word.  </p>
<p>You weren't really sure what you planned to do. You wanted to figure out how to get in his good graces so that he might listen to you when you tried to explain what the hell was happening to you and possibly the others. All you would have to do was show him your power and he was likely to give you at least a minute to try to talk to him before he threw you out.  </p>
<p>You needed to plan and execute it all perfectly. You couldn't fuck it up, because Hargreeves was the only person you really knew. He was the only one who might know anything about time travel and your predicament. He was the only one who might have at least one answer for you, which was something you so desperately needed with each passing day.  </p>
<p>Of course, you didn't count on Luther to show up and fuck up your carefully crafted plan.  </p>
<p>You were leaning against a pillar in the living room, listening with forced interest as a man you didn't really know tried to talk to you about his ideas about the space program and how Kennedy was really going to change everything.  </p>
<p>You were contemplating driving the metal stirrer in his drink into his hand if he got an inch closer to you when you noticed someone approaching Hargreeves out of the corner of your eye. </p>
<p>You glanced over towards the pair, recognizing immediately the impressive shoulders and muscles filling out the shirt of the guy with his back to you.  </p>
<p>"Oh fuck," you breathed, straightening up out of your slouch.  </p>
<p>"Now, that's no language for a lady," the man said, leaning closer to you. </p>
<p>You flashed him a glare. "Go fuck yourself," you snarled before you followed after Luther as he followed after Hargreeves.  </p>
<p>You stayed back as you listened to Luther plead with Hargreeves to believe him. Your heart broke at the lost expression on Luther's face. You wondered how long he had been stuck in the past, since you remembered all too well the feeling of helplessness that clouded your first few weeks.  </p>
<p>You couldn't help but feel a swell of hope at seeing Luther, though. Sure, the last time you were in each other's company, he drugged you and you threatened him and then punched him. Were you close? Not really. Did you still love him despite his boneheaded tendencies? Of course you did. </p>
<p>You listened to Hargreeves berate Luther and witnessed Luther's expression of hope fall. It wasn't until Hargreeves started talking about his dislike of children and distaste at the idea of actually having any that you moved forward to get close enough to practically be a part of the conversation. </p>
<p>"And I would certainly not want a child with such a scruffy face, poor hygiene, and grotesque simian proportions." </p>
<p>You saw Luther's face fall in dismay, his heartbroken expression finally prompting you to reach out and touch his shoulder.  </p>
<p>He moved to shrug off your hold, not even looking back at you, but you held on. </p>
<p>"I want you out of my house," Hargreeves insisted, already looking like he was getting ready to completely dismiss Luther.  </p>
<p>You felt such anger in that moment that you noticed the light fixtures begin to tremble.  </p>
<p>"Not surprised in the least that you're still such an irredeemable asshole," you spat, catching Hargreeves' affronted expression. Luther whirled around to look at you, his eyes wide in wonder.  </p>
<p>"Y/N," he breathed, his hands coming up to grip your shoulders. "You're alive." </p>
<p>You shot a final glare at Hargreeves, reaching out with your power to fuck with the metal adornments in the room, warping a few until there was no possible way they would ever be fixed without your ability. </p>
<p>"Come on, big guy," you said, finally looking up at Luther. "Let's get the hell out of this shithole." </p>
<p>"Excuse me, Miss Bowie," Hargreeves started, making like he was going to reach out to grab your arm.  </p>
<p>Luther stepped between the two of you, frowning at Hargreeves.  </p>
<p>"Don't worry, <i>Dad</i>," he said. "We'll leave you alone now." </p>
<p>You smirked at Hargreeves as you passed him, savoring the thunderstruck expression on his face as you passed him. You made sure to grab Luther's wrist, tugging him out of the room and then through the front door.  </p>
<p>When you got to the sidewalk outside the mansion, you finally turned to look at Luther. You barely had a moment before Luther was pulling you into a tight hug, your breath escaping you in a rush. </p>
<p>"Too much," you gasped, tapping his arm. </p>
<p>"Sorry," he said, stepping back. "Just..." he trailed off, shaking his head. "What the hell is going on, Y/N?" </p>
<p>"Not here," you said, shaking your head. You bit your lip, considering the mansion. You had just effectively blown your cover in order to come to Luther's defense. You had wasted weeks trying to figure out what the hell Hargreeves was up to in the 60s besides what he showed the public, but the man had always hoarded secrets like he did superpowered children. He showed the world what he wanted and kept the truly dark, dysfunctional shit private. "We're going to need a car if we're going to go back to Dallas." </p>
<p>Luther considered you for a moment, frowning. "I spent all my money getting here," he finally offered, a sheepish expression on his face. </p>
<p>You grinned at him, a plan coming to mind. "I've got us a ride until the state line. Then we'll figure something else out," you promised.  </p>
<p>You led Luther around to the back alley where the cars of the partygoers were parked. You glanced over the few there until you spotted the one you wanted.  </p>
<p>You nodded at the car. "Get in," you told Luther, using your power to open the doors. You slid into the driver's seat, working on getting the car to start while Luther settled in the passenger seat.  </p>
<p>"Is this yours?"  </p>
<p>"No," you said, grinning once the car started. "It's his," you answered, nodding towards the mansion. "Wonder how far we can get before he notices it's gone." </p>
<p>A slow, melancholic grin spread across his face. "Let's find out." </p>
<p>After going back to your hotel room to grab your things and then making sure Luther retrieved his duffel bag from where he stashed it in an alley not far from the Academy, you set out on your trip.  </p>
<p>You weren't really sure if a road trip with only Luther for company was the best idea. Where you stood in 2019, you weren't sure if you could get through an hour in the same room as Luther without fighting about something, so you didn't know if you would make it all the way back to Texas without sniping at each other and wanting to go your separate ways.  </p>
<p>To your surprise, however, you managed to mostly keep things civil between you. </p>
<p>"So, did you lose your coin between 2019 and 1962?" You couldn't help but wonder where it went, since last you knew, Luther still had it on him when Five sent you all back.  </p>
<p>Luther cleared his throat and then shifted nervously in his seat. "I, uh, I used it to pay for my bus fare." </p>
<p>You glanced at Luther, noticing the embarrassed look on his face. You took in Luther's half-untucked shirt and the dirt smudging his features.  </p>
<p>"I can make you a new one," you offered, not sure if Luther would actually want a new token. He stopped wearing his after Ben's death and then only started carrying it again after Leonard killed you.  </p>
<p>Luther was silent for a few moments, considering you. Finally, after a couple of minutes of awkward silence, he spoke.  </p>
<p>"I'd like that." </p>
<p>You ditched Hargreeves' car near the state line. You didn't want to get arrested, since you were almost sure it had been reported stolen by the time you left it abandoned in a parking lot.  </p>
<p>You used some of the last money to your name to get you and Luther back to Dallas on a Greyhound bus.  </p>
<p>He let you take the window seat, claiming he needed the aisle to stretch his legs anyway. You rested your head against the window as the bus pulled away from the station, taking comfort in the metal you could feel surrounding you.  </p>
<p>You managed to doze for an hour or so and when you woke, it was to see Luther staring uncertainly down at his hands.  </p>
<p>You sat up, nudging him in the side with your elbow.  </p>
<p>"What's wrong, big guy?" </p>
<p>"Do you think it's just us?" He glanced to you, his eyes wide and betraying his uncertainty. "If you're here and I'm here, then where are the others? Where's Allison?" </p>
<p>You sighed and reached out to link your arm with his while you moved to rest your head on his shoulder. You closed your watering eyes against the stench, resolving to get Luther a shower as soon as you could once you reached Dallas.  </p>
<p>"When did you get here? Where did you fall?" </p>
<p>"An alley," Luther said. "Off Commerce street in Dallas. Just a week or so ago." </p>
<p>"Shit," you said, suddenly sitting up. "I landed in an alley off Commerce," you explained when he sent you a startled look. "But I've been here longer than you have." </p>
<p>"So, we landed in the same place, but at different times," he concluded. </p>
<p>"Which means the others might show up there too," you finished, feeling hope swell again at the thought of possibly seeing Diego again. "Do you think we're the first ones to end up here?" </p>
<p>"I don't know," Luther offered with a thoughtful frown. "But we need to get back to that alley. We have to see if anyone else shows up." </p>
<p>"Yeah," you agreed, glancing out the window in an attempt to figure out where you were. You suddenly couldn't wait to get back to Dallas. </p>
<p>Once you got back to Texas, you started making plans with Luther. You had enough money for a night in a hotel room, but after that, you would have to take to picking someone's pockets to guarantee you and Luther could be fed and housed for a few nights.  </p>
<p>"We need to get you a shower too," you told Luther, grimacing at him. "Sorry, but I'm sure they could smell you the second we arrived in the state." </p>
<p>Luther looked ashamed for a moment. "Is it that bad?" </p>
<p>You shrugged your shoulders. "The only reason I'm sitting beside you is because I love you," you offered, shooting him a wry grin. "But yeah, it's that bad." </p>
<p>When you got a motel room and Luther managed to finally take a shower, you told him you were going out.  </p>
<p>"Wait," he said, reaching forward to stall you by tugging on your shirt sleeve. "Are you going to the alley? I want to go." </p>
<p>You winced, not really wanting to admit your turn to a life of crime in order to survive. At Luther's pleading look, you folded. "I'm going to get some money." </p>
<p>Luther's face shifted through a quick series of expressions before he settled on concerned. "Y/N, you're not..."  </p>
<p>It took you a few moments to realize what he meant. "What? No!" </p>
<p>"Oh, good," he breathed out on a sigh of relief. "Not that there's anything wrong with that, but well, you're like my sister," he added with a wince.  </p>
<p>"I'm going to pick some rich asshole's pocket, okay? I only pick people who won't miss a few bucks here or there. It’s totally harmless," you tried to dismiss, knowing that Luther wouldn’t be pleased. </p>
<p>"<i>That's</i> how you afforded this room? By robbing someone?" </p>
<p>"It's not like I can get a job the normal way. I don't exist here, Luther! Neither do you," you reminded him. "How do we get a job? There aren't many legal options and I haven't exactly had time to network since being dropped fifty years in the past." </p>
<p>"You can't just keep stealing from the rich, Y/N. You're not Robin Hood." </p>
<p>"I could be," you muttered, frowning down at the tacky, patterned carpet. You heard Luther sigh and looked up to see a disappointed look on his face. "Hey, if you figure anything out, then I'm all ears. Get a job and then we'll talk," you told him. "In the meantime, I'm going to secure another week here for us by using my power," you added.  </p>
<p>"Fine," Luther conceded. "Then I'm going to check out the alley. Meet me there when you're done," he added, moving to grab his jacket before he followed you out of the motel room. </p>
<p>You should have known better than to challenge Luther.  </p>
<p>"You've got to be fucking kidding me," you hissed at him when he told you about his new employment opportunity. </p>
<p>"You said it yourself," Luther said. "There aren't many legal options. This is the closest we have." </p>
<p>"You can't be serious," you got out on a helpless laugh. "Jack Ruby," you stressed. "You know he-" </p>
<p>"I know," Luther said, raising a hand to cut you off. "But he saw me and offered me a job on the spot. How can I turn that down?" </p>
<p>"You say 'no,'" you told him. "You don't get involved with a historical figure." </p>
<p>"Come on, Y/N," he started, reaching out to put a hand on your shoulder. "What can possibly go wrong?" </p>
<p>"Oh, you shouldn't have said that," you groaned, knowing that Luther's new job was likely going to fuck <i>something</i> up.  </p>
<p>As time passed, you started to lose hope that the others would magically show up in the alley you and Luther were dropped into by Five's power. You knew Luther spent hours yelling for Allison until his voice went hoarse. You spent hours keeping a watch on the alley, just waiting and hoping for a sign of one of the others.  </p>
<p>No one else appeared, though. </p>
<p>You heard Luther crying many nights in the shower where he thought you couldn't hear him. He tried to put on a brave face, but you knew he wasn't overjoyed by the direction his life had taken. He wasn’t happy and neither were you.  </p>
<p>You were grateful to have him, though. You couldn't imagine trying to do anything, spending days and weeks and months all by yourself, without even an inkling of hope of ever seeing the others again. You needed Luther and he needed you.  </p>
<p>One night, when Luther seemed to be particularly down, you did your best to console him. </p>
<p>"We'll find her again. We'll find them all again," you promised, leaning against the doorway of his bedroom. "This can't be it," you added.  </p>
<p>"Aren't you worried about the others? I mean, you and Klaus were attached at the hip most days. And I know you had something going on with Diego. Don't tell me you're not just as desperate to see him again as I am to see Allison." He was watching you with wide, fearful eyes from his spot on his bed.  </p>
<p>You sighed, glancing away. "Of course I miss them. I miss <i>him</i>. I'm so fucking worried about Diego. Where is he? <i>When</i> is he? I spend most nights thinking he's going to show up in that alley and I won't be there to help him. But there's nothing I can do. I just have to believe everything will work out. They have to." </p>
<p>"How do you do it? I can barely go one minute without wanting to go check out that alley, but you seem like you're not falling apart at all. You seem okay." </p>
<p>You huffed out a disbelieving laugh. "Luther, I'm just as much of a mess as you are. While you're throwing yourself into Jack Ruby’s Fight Club, I've been doing shit I'm not proud of to keep us in this hole," you said, gesturing around the tiny apartment you now shared with Luther.  </p>
<p>"Mr. Ruby offered you a job at the Carousel Club," Luther reminded you. </p>
<p>"He said I could get up on stage and make a few bucks," you pointed out. "Like hell am I doing that." </p>
<p>"You could do what Autumn does? She's sweet. She'd show you the ropes." </p>
<p>"Have you seen her uniform? You really want to see me walking around in that getup?" </p>
<p>Luther grimaced before he shook his head. "Not particularly, no." </p>
<p>"Then I'll keep doing what I'm doing," you said with a shrug of your shoulders. "At least until something better comes along. Besides, you're better than being Ruby's fighter. It's painful watching you get your ass almost kicked just to appease your boss." </p>
<p>"I'm strong and a good fighter," Luther said, glancing away from you with a frown on his face. "What else am I good for?" </p>
<p>"Luther, you were our Number One. You were our leader. You're so much more than your power. You're better than that," you told him, doing your best to meet his gaze, but he kept carefully not looking at you. </p>
<p>"Well, the numbers were bullshit, obviously," he said. "I was a terrible leader. It took the end of the world for me to see that." </p>
<p>You shook your head and moved to sit beside him on the edge of his bed. "Luther, you did your best. Hargreeves blinded us all by pitting us against each other from birth. <i>He</i> was the terrible one. Not you." </p>
<p>Luther huffed out an annoyed breath, but reached out to wrap an arm around your shoulders. "You don't have to give me a pep talk," he grumbled.  </p>
<p>"I'm not trying to cheer you up. I'm trying to get you to see the truth," you said. "We're all we have in this world right now. I can't have you picking yourself apart on me now. Especially while you're working for a guy who's going to become even more infamous soon enough." You chuckled wistfully and knocked your shoulder into Luther's side. "Ruby is the kind of guy we would have fought in 2019." </p>
<p>"We're not in 2019 anymore, Y/N. We have to adapt. Isn't that what Dad always told us?" </p>
<p>"Yeah, well he was a piece of shit. He still is." </p>
<p>"Face it, Y/N. It's all we've got right now." </p>
<p>"Yeah," you sighed. "I guess you're right." </p>
<p>You didn't count on Jack Ruby getting his hooks into you as well. </p>
<p>You weren't even really sure how it all played out. You just knew that you went with Luther to pick up his weekly payment and then you were stopping an assassination attempt. You had felt the knife coming at Mr. Ruby and your instincts kicked in. You stepped between Jack and the attacker, using your power to bend the blade so it was useless enough.  </p>
<p>It was then Luther stepped in, pulling the guy away and hitting him repeatedly in the face. </p>
<p>"That was quick thinking," Jack said to you while Luther took care of the guy who tried to kill Jack. "Good reflexes," he mused as he considered you. </p>
<p>"Yeah? Well, you're welcome." </p>
<p>Jack laughed, reaching out to put a hand on your shoulder. You fought the urge to shake his hand off. </p>
<p>"Your brother tells me you're still looking for a job." </p>
<p>"I'm not getting up on your stage," you reminded him, shaking your head. </p>
<p>"That's not what I had in mind." He nodded at Luther when he walked back to join the two of you. He let go of your shoulder to clap a hand to Luther’s back. He was still watching you, though. "How are you at driving?" </p>
<p>"Fine," you answered, sharing a confused look with Luther. "Why?" </p>
<p>It turned out that Jack was in need of a driver and he considered you the perfect candidate for the job. He also hired you as an additional bodyguard to help Luther protect him against any threats.  </p>
<p>You weren't really thrilled at the idea, but it kept you from robbing people. You knew working for someone with criminal connections wasn't much better, but you promised yourself it was only until you found something better. </p>
<p>Working for Jack Ruby meant that you spent a lot more time at the Carousel Club. When you weren't expected to watch Mr. Ruby, you spent more time staking out the alley. You were hoping to find one of the others. You hoped that they would come through and join you and Luther. But as more time passed and none of the others showed up, you started to lose faith.  </p>
<p>You started telling yourself that if it was only you and Luther against 1960s Dallas, then you were just going to have to live with it.  </p>
<p>You had to push down the hurt and pain at the idea of never seeing anyone else in your family. Your chest clenched painfully at the thought of never getting to listen to Klaus detail his antics to you. You felt like you would break down and start crying every time you thought of never getting to finally set things straight with Diego.  </p>
<p>You learned how to reconcile everything to get through the day. You learned how to heal. You learned how to forget that you were anyone other than Jack Ruby's driver and part-time bodyguard. You learned to rely solely on Luther to get you through your darkest moments.  </p>
<p>You learned how to adapt. </p>
<p>Of course, just when you thought you were starting to get the hang of things was when everything got fucked up again. </p>
<p>It was a night like any other at the Carousel Club. Luther was fresh from a fight and you were watching the guys congregating around Mr. Ruby. One of the assholes vying for his attention and approval was getting a little out of hand, but he wasn't so bad yet.  </p>
<p>You moved to pass behind Jack. "You should really quit smoking," you whispered in his ear. "It'll kill you." </p>
<p>Jack shot you a smirk as he pointedly brought his cigarette back to his mouth. "Sure it will," he said before he laughed, waving you off.  </p>
<p>You rolled your eyes, maneuvering through the crowd towards the bar. You were thinking about ordering a drink when you felt it.  </p>
<p>You froze, seeking out the feeling of one of the tokens nearby. It wasn't the new one you had crafted for Luther. It was an older one.  </p>
<p>It took you a few moments to feel it out. You had hoped for Klaus, since Diego’s would have been left behind at the Fighting Lion in 2019, but it wasn't Klaus. </p>
<p>"Five," you breathed in shock, moving forward and following the siren call of the token from near the stage.  </p>
<p>You caught sight of the back of Five's head and hurried towards him.  </p>
<p>"Five," you called, gaining his attention.  </p>
<p>He was sitting at a table in front of the stage, his eyes focused on the girl performing. At the sound of your voice, he turned to look up at you, a brief smile flitting across his face.  </p>
<p>"It's good to see you, Y/N." </p>
<p>You couldn't help but laugh, bending down to pull Five into a quick hug. "When the hell did you get here?" </p>
<p>"Not long ago," he answered. "Sit," he told you, gesturing towards the chair across from him. </p>
<p>You had countless questions for Five. Was he alone? Did he see anyone else before finding you and Luther? What took him so long? What the hell was going on? </p>
<p>Before you could voice any of them, Autumn approached the table.  </p>
<p>"We don't allow minors in here," she said, looking at Five.  </p>
<p>"Oh, sure," Five said, turning a smirk on Autumn. "Say, what time are you getting off work?" </p>
<p>You rolled your eyes and reached out to smack Five's shoulder. "He's with me, Autumn. Little brother," you explained, ignoring Five's scowl. </p>
<p>"Oh, gotcha," she said. "Does Luther know?" </p>
<p>"Shit, Luther," you muttered, remembering he was around somewhere. </p>
<p>"He's over by the bar," Autumn told you. "Should I send him over?" </p>
<p>"Please," you said. When Autumn left and you glanced back to Five, you noticed his eyes watching the stage with rapt fascination. You rolled your eyes and snapped your fingers in front of his face, startling him. "Focus," you hissed at him. "I’m sure you didn't come here to watch the pretty girls, Five." </p>
<p>Five quirked an eyebrow at you. "Maybe I did," he argued. </p>
<p>"She's too young for you," Luther said, leaning down to speak to Five. He straightened, shooting you a quick, questioning look. </p>
<p>You shrugged your shoulders, letting him know you didn't know what Five was up to either.  </p>
<p>"Ah, you're here," Five said, glancing up at Luther. "Sit down, will you?" </p>
<p>Luther sighed before taking the remaining empty chair at the table. "What do you want, Five?" </p>
<p>Five glanced from Luther to you and then back again. "How long has it been for you two?" </p>
<p>"About a year," Luther answered. </p>
<p>"A little longer for me," you mentioned, glancing to the crowd around Jack when you heard someone shouting.  </p>
<p>"We thought everyone else was dead," Luther added, his attention also caught by the guy getting bolder by the second as he practically begged for Jack's attention.  </p>
<p>"Fuck," you groaned, moving to get up to take care of the situation. </p>
<p>Luther shook his head, gesturing for you to sit back down. "I've got it," he assured you, standing and taking a step in the direction of Jack and his group. </p>
<p>Five reached out to snag Luther's arm, pulling his attention back towards him. "I understand that being stuck in time isn't easy. It's hard being alone and worried about your family. But at least you two had each other." He glanced to you, silently imploring you to listen to him. "The world is going to end in ten days. I don't know how to stop it. I need your help. I need both of you." </p>
<p>Your mind was buzzing with the thought of yet another apocalypse while Luther considered Five, a carefully blank expression on his face. </p>
<p>"I don't give a shit," Luther finally said and then turned to leave. </p>
<p>“Luther!” Five called, his shoulders slumping in defeat when Luther ignored him. Five turned a pleading look on you. “What about you?” </p>
<p>"There's another apocalypse? Five, come on. We barely escaped the last one and look how it worked out," you said, gesturing around the club. "You think I want to be here? You think this is what I've wanted to spend the past year doing?" </p>
<p>Five sighed before he reached into his pocket. He pulled out a newspaper clipping and you felt your eyes widen. </p>
<p>"The last time you showed me something out of a newspaper, it was because I was about to die. Am I getting murdered again?" </p>
<p>Five shook his head as he placed the clipping on the table and slid it over to you. "I figured you would need a little incentive." </p>
<p>You offered him a skeptical look before you sighed and picked up the paper. You felt your eyes widen at the sight of a mugshot of Diego, your eyes skimming the headline that read: 'Disturbed man with multiple knives arrested outside 1026 N. Beckley.' You read the rest of the article that detailed how Diego had been staking out the home of a L.H. Oswald and claiming that someone was going to kill the president. </p>
<p>"Oh, Diego," you sighed. "You stupid asshole," you groaned.  </p>
<p>"I went to see him before coming here," Five informed you. "I can take you to him, but first I need your help." </p>
<p>You met Five's eyes, seeing the underlying fear and distress in his expression. Five looked oddly vulnerable in that moment and you couldn't help but wonder what happened to put that look there. </p>
<p>You glanced back down at the paper in your hands before you nodded your head. </p>
<p>"I'm in."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. I Got Myself In An Awful Fix</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Now that I have you on board, I just have to convince the big oaf over there," Five said, nodding towards Luther.  </p>
<p>You thought about stopping Five as he stood and headed over towards the bar to intercept Luther, but you figured that Five wasn’t going to easily take no for an answer. You trailed after him, wanting to stay close in case you needed to break up a fight.  </p>
<p>You also couldn’t help running your power endlessly over the coin in Five’s pocket, feeling relief that he was finally there. It wasn’t just you and Luther anymore. It was you, Luther, Five, and now Diego. Your thoughts snagged on Diego and the newspaper article you read about him. You really hoped Five took you to him soon, because after a year without him, you couldn’t stand the thought of another second without him. </p>
<p>You stayed farther down the bar from the pair, opting to stand a few feet away. You weren't sure what Five was going to say to Luther to try to get him on his side, but you figured it would be best if you stayed out of it. Both of them had the tendency to be stubborn and you definitely didn't want to get mixed up in that. </p>
<p>You were sure Five was doing his best to make Luther see things his way, but Luther seemed largely unruffled by Five's speech. You could tell Five was getting increasingly disappointed by whatever Luther was saying in response.  </p>
<p>"They doing okay?" Autumn asked, moving to stand at your side.  </p>
<p>"Yeah," you told her, glancing at her for a moment. "Just family drama, you know?" </p>
<p>"Oh, I know a lot about that," she mused, nodding her head. "But you might want to cut it short. Mr. Ruby is getting real agitated by that idiot bothering him." </p>
<p>You caught a glimpse of Jack's politely frustrated expression. It was the face he wore when he was about to near the end of his rope and looking to take a hit out on someone.  </p>
<p>"Thanks, Autumn," you said, shooting her a quick, grateful smile. You moved forward until you were beside Luther. </p>
<p>"What's happening is on you. You're the one who dropped us all here and you're the one who decided to bring Vanya along for the ride, Five," Luther was saying. "So, if we're really facing the end again, then it's probably because of her." </p>
<p>"Oh, don't say that," you groaned, shooting Luther an unimpressed look.  </p>
<p>Luther shrugged his shoulders, seemingly unapologetic about his comment. He kept his attention steady on Five while he spoke. "If I <i>was</i> going to do something about the apocalypse, then I wouldn't rely on you to help me fix it." </p>
<p>You noticed Five's expression morph from annoyed to almost hurt. You knew that if you didn't stop Luther, then he would just keep going. Luther had been hurting for a long time and while he hadn't really taken it out on you, you weren't so sure he wouldn't see fit to take it out on Five. </p>
<p>You tugged on the hem of Luther's shirt, gaining his full attention. "Jack is getting pissed off. You want to take care of it or should I?" </p>
<p>"I've got it," Luther sighed. He patted you on the shoulder as he passed, his gaze intent on the guy stupid enough to bother Jack Ruby. </p>
<p>"Wait a minute," Five started, shooting you an incredulous look. "You're working for Ruby too?" </p>
<p>"Desperate times," you offered with a shrug of your shoulders. "Besides, I thought you prided yourself on knowing everything, Five," you pointed out to him with a smirk. "Why else do you think I've been hanging around here unless I had to?" </p>
<p>"Both of you are being reckless," Five hissed. "You don't know how this could affect the timeline." </p>
<p>You quirked an eyebrow at him, unaffected by his words. "Throwing us in the past in the first place likely fucked up the future, Five. I know you couldn't control it, but Luther and I have been going through a lot of shit since landing here. Diego too, apparently," you reminded him.  </p>
<p>“I didn’t mean for it to be this way,” Five insisted, his jaw clenching for a moment in annoyance. “I just wanted to save my family.” </p>
<p>You heard a commotion from the other side of the room and turned to make sure you weren’t needed. You and Five watched as Luther moved to intercept the guy making trouble for Jack.  </p>
<p>"Dad should have left him on the moon," Five grumbled, turning to lean against the bar.  </p>
<p>"Just give him time," you told Five. When Five didn't respond, you looked over to see he was considering what appeared to be a Kodak film case. "What's that?" </p>
<p>Five frowned down at the case as he turned it over. "A gift from a friend," he replied. </p>
<p>You noticed what was written on the label, your brow furrowing in confusion at the '11/22/63' and 'Frankel Footage,' printed on it. "Five, is that--?" </p>
<p>"I don't know," he answered, shaking his head. "I need to go take care of something, but I'll be back to collect you soon." </p>
<p>"Wait, Five," you blurted, reaching out to grab the sleeve of his uniform jacket. "What about Diego? I want to go see him." </p>
<p>Five shot you an apologetic look before he took a step away, breaking free of your hold. "Soon," he insisted, before he blipped out of view.  </p>
<p>You rolled your eyes, working hard not to yell or take your frustrations out on the bar beside you.  </p>
<p>You heard shouting and glanced over to see that Luther was in the process of kicking out the guy bothering Jack. Jack glanced to you and nodded his head towards Luther, a silent command to help him out.  </p>
<p>You sighed, immediately moving to help Luther get the guy to the door. You stayed near the door once outside, watching the guy stumble over towards the pay phone out front, patting down his pockets as he tried to find change for a call. Luther moved to go back into the club, apparently satisfied that the problem had been dealt with once and for all.  </p>
<p>Once you watched the guy sit down on the curb, his head resting in his hands, you figured it was safe enough to leave him alone. You doubted he would be stupid enough to stumble back into the club, but you stayed near the front door just in case.  </p>
<p>You were watching the group around Jack, making sure there wasn't anyone else causing trouble, when Luther approached you.  </p>
<p>He held up a wallet, nodding towards the front door behind you. "He must have dropped it when I was dragging him outside. Maybe I can get it back to him before he gets picked up." </p>
<p>You reached out to take it from Luther as he brushed past you. Luther opened the front door of the club, keeping it open long enough for you to slip through before letting it close. You followed him outside, studying the wallet as you rifled through the contents. </p>
<p>"Don't take any cash, you criminal," Luther muttered, stopping on the sidewalk in front of the club.  </p>
<p>"New habits die hard, Luther," you said, smirking in his direction briefly, before getting a better look at the guy's license. "Carl Cooper," you read aloud, taking note of his address and information. You decided to leave the cash alone, even though you were sorely tempted to take one of the bills inside.  </p>
<p>It was then you realized that Luther had frozen at your side. You looked at him to see that his shoulders were tense as he stared at something. There was an awestruck expression on his face, his eyes wide at whatever had caught his attention. </p>
<p>"Y/N," he breathed, his voice choked. "Look." </p>
<p>You almost dreaded looking, because whatever had put <i>that</i> expression on Luther's face couldn't be anything good. If the shitty circumstances of your life were anything to go by, then Luther might as well have been staring down the apocalypse.  </p>
<p>"Look," he urged you, his tone growing impatient. </p>
<p>You finally glanced over and felt your breath hitch at the sight of Vanya behind the wheel of the car taking Carl away. She was considering you and Luther, a carefully blank expression on her face, before she started the car. You watched her start to drive away, your senses suddenly aware of every inch of metal in the car that was passing you and Luther. </p>
<p>"Vanya," you whispered, watching the car as it drove away.  </p>
<p>"Use your power. Stop the car," Luther demanded. "We have to stop her." </p>
<p>"I don't want to make a scene," you told him, shaking your head. "Besides," you said, holding up the wallet for Luther to see. "We've got an idea about where to find her." </p>
<p>Once you both got to your shared apartment later that night, Luther told you he wanted to track her down the next day.  </p>
<p>"We have to find her and stop her before she causes another apocalypse, Y/N," he insisted.  </p>
<p>"You don't even know if that's what's going on here, Luther. For all we know, it's me who causes it this time. Or you," you pointed out. "We don't know anything about the future Five saw. We don't know why the apocalypse followed us or anything. We're going in blind." </p>
<p>Luther frowned at you, but seemed to relent for the moment. “Be ready to go in the morning. I want to figure out what’s going on.” </p>
<p>“Fine,” you conceded, knowing that there was no way in hell you were going to let Luther go after Vanya alone.  </p>
<p>That night, as you tried to get yourself to fall asleep, you couldn't help but think of the monthly coffee dates you used to have with Vanya. You had always tried to bring Vanya more into the fold, because you hated the way she had been treated when you were kids. She had been neglected by everyone growing up and you hated that she had been manipulated by Hargreeves her whole life.  </p>
<p>You couldn’t help but think that if it was anyone's fault that the world ended in 2019, it was because of Reginald Hargreeves and his abusive tendencies. Instead of trying to help Vanya, he locked her away in a cell and then inside herself. He never let her truly be herself. It really shouldn’t have been a surprise when she snapped. It was no wonder that by the time she finally regained access to her power, she didn’t have complete control over it.  </p>
<p>You thought of the night everything ended. When Vanya brought the Academy down, she saved you. That had to mean something, right? All she wanted to do that night was perform at her concert.  </p>
<p>She didn't mean to end the world. She didn't mean to kill everyone.  </p>
<p>A small, treacherous part of yourself couldn't help but think she still did both of those things.  </p>
<p>Another part of you couldn't help but point out that all of you were at least somewhat responsible for what happened in 2019. All of you should have tried harder to understand Vanya. All of you should have been there for her.  </p>
<p>If this new apocalypse was in any part Vanya's fault, then there was every likelihood that it was the whole team's fault as well.  </p>
<p>That thought alone was enough to terrify you. </p>
<p>You weren't sure at what point you managed to drift off, but when you woke up, it was to the sound of Luther knocking steadily on your door. </p>
<p>"I'm up, you impatient asshole!" You snapped, already done with the day as you shielded your eyes against the harsh glare of sunlight flooding your room.  </p>
<p>"I'm leaving with or without you in ten minutes," he said, his voice slightly muffled through the door. "Get up and get dressed." </p>
<p>You made a face at your bedroom door, just barely resisting the urge to flip him off, even when he wouldn't see the gesture. "For someone who claims to not be Number One anymore, you sure are bossing me around a lot," you grumbled, knowing Luther wouldn't hear you.  </p>
<p>Once you were dressed and mostly awake, you joined Luther in the car Jack had gifted to the both of you. Jack had made sure you knew that it was only a loan in case he needed you to drive somewhere for him at a moment’s notice. You were just relieved you didn’t have to keep relying on the public transportation Dallas had to offer.   </p>
<p>"Are you sure about this?" You couldn't help but ask Luther, knowing that this reunion could be disastrous.  </p>
<p>"We have to," Luther insisted, starting the car and pulling out of the lot. "Five appears last night and tells us there's a new apocalypse on the horizon. And who do we also see last night? Vanya." </p>
<p>"We don't know that Vanya causes this, though. She looked like she didn't even recognize us," you said, glancing out the passenger side window. "Don't you think she would have had some kind of reaction to seeing the two of us if she did?" </p>
<p>"She could be faking it," he offered, his voice wavering, as if he didn't quite believe it himself. </p>
<p>You glanced to Luther, noticing the way his hands were clenching the steering wheel so tight that it was making a creaking noise. You couldn't help but think he was hiding something. He was acting weird and pointedly not looking at you. You weren't sure what was on his mind, but you knew that Luther refusing to talk never meant anything good.  </p>
<p>"What are you planning?"  </p>
<p>Luther shook his head, frowning out the windshield at the road ahead. "Nothing," he quickly denied.  </p>
<p>You didn't believe him, but you decided to let it go for the moment. If anything, you had gotten a lot better at talking Luther down when he was upset about something. You just hoped you had the opportunity to do that before he took matters into his own hands.  </p>
<p>When you arrived at the address found on Carl's license, you noticed Vanya walking into a barn on the other side of the property.  </p>
<p>You couldn't help but think that there was something different about her. She seemed lighter. Happier. She didn't seem so weighed down by her shitty childhood or the terrible events that took place in 2019.  </p>
<p>Maybe she really didn’t have any of her memories. Maybe something happened to her between 2019 and 1963 to cause her to seem like she was somehow at peace with everything.  </p>
<p>When you moved to get out of the car, you noticed Luther reach for the glove compartment.  </p>
<p>"What are you doing?" </p>
<p>"Just need to grab something," he said as he opened the compartment and grabbed the handgun stored inside.  </p>
<p>"No, Luther," you hissed, reaching out to put a hand on his wrist, stalling his movement. "Are you fucking kidding me? It's <i>Vanya</i>." </p>
<p>"It was Vanya who killed Pogo and Mom," Luther reminded you. "It was Vanya who blew a hole in the moon. It was <i>Vanya</i>," he stressed. </p>
<p>You shook your head, glancing away from him. "It was Vanya," you conceded. "But it wasn't just her." </p>
<p>Luther was silent for long enough that you finally glanced back to him. He was considering the gun in his hand, a conflicted expression on his face.  </p>
<p>"You know if you even think about it, I'll just make it not work. I'll destroy it if I have to before you even get it aimed at her." </p>
<p>"I know," he whispered, his voice breaking on the words. "I'm counting on it. It's just a security measure." </p>
<p>You didn't know if you believed him. Despite the fact that you had spent the past year relying solely on Luther, you also knew that there was still so much you didn't really know about him. He had changed since arriving in Dallas, but you weren't sure if it was enough to save Vanya from whatever he was thinking now.  </p>
<p>You didn't use your power to grab the gun from him as you followed Luther to the barn, since you knew that you could always stop him from firing it. But you did keep your power focused on it, ready to use it to snatch the gun away if Luther gave you a reason to worry.  </p>
<p>As you got closer to the barn, you noticed Luther seemed to be freaking out. He was practically panting and you noticed his hands shaking when he brought them up to wipe hurriedly at his face.  </p>
<p>"Hey," you murmured, reaching out to put a hand on Luther's shoulder. "Whatever you're thinking or worrying about, it'll be okay. I’m right here with you." </p>
<p>Luther sighed and sent you a quick look over his shoulder. "Right," he muttered before he took a deep breath and stepped into the doorway of the barn.  </p>
<p>When he seemed to freeze, you reached forward to nudge him, silently telling him to move while also reassuring him that you were still there.  </p>
<p>He cleared his throat as he took another step inside, the floorboards under his feet creaking.  </p>
<p>You felt your heart beat faster at the sight of Vanya standing there. You saw her turn, confusion flashing across her face when she noticed you and Luther standing there.  </p>
<p>So many different urges warred within you. You wanted to pull her into a hug. You wanted to ask if she was okay. You wanted to see if she was still the same Vanya you had left behind in 2019. You wanted to know if she was still angry. You wanted to know if she would forgive you.  </p>
<p> You wanted to know if she still loved you. </p>
<p>"Vanya," Luther managed to call, his tone betraying how uncertain he must have felt.  </p>
<p>Vanya was still for a moment before her face lit up. "You know who I am?" </p>
<p>You couldn't help but notice that she sounded relieved. Luther glanced at you, the both of you sharing a bewildered look.  </p>
<p>You quirked an eyebrow and tilted your head to the side, silently conveying that you were right. Vanya didn't seem to know who you were. She really didn't seem to remember either one of you. </p>
<p>Luther's eyes narrowed briefly, as if he wanted to call bullshit. As if Vanya was some sort of criminal mastermind and not the same woman who only ever craved her family's unconditional love and approval.  </p>
<p>"Of course I know you," Luther finally offered, his tone hesitant and careful.  </p>
<p>"I mean, I've been putting ads in the paper. I hoped someone would finally respond." There was so much hope and a cautious excitement in her voice that you couldn't help but take a step forward when she did. Luther held an arm out, as if trying to protect you and stop you from going any farther.  </p>
<p>He held his other hand up and out towards Vanya, silently holding her off. "Just stay back," he said, his voice nearly breathless with trepidation. </p>
<p>Vanya's face fell, seemingly disappointed. "Well, how do you know me?" </p>
<p>"Just stop playing games, Vanya," he snapped.  </p>
<p>Luther's hand drifted down, his hand going towards the gun he had hidden in the waistband of his pants. You reached out to grab his wrist, digging your nails into the sleeve of his shirt when that didn’t seem to deter him.  </p>
<p>"She's telling the truth," you insisted, wanting Luther to see that it was true. You had known Vanya your whole life. You had spent so much time with her that you were sure she wasn't lying now. She was genuinely confused about not only her own identity, but yours and Luther's as well.  </p>
<p>You moved to take a step towards Vanya, ignoring Luther's hand on your shoulder, as if he was going to try to hold you back again.  </p>
<p>"I swear I'm telling the truth," Vanya insisted. "I was hit by a car and since that happened, I can't remember much of anything." She looked almost heartbroken as she held a hand out, silently pleading for you and Luther to believe her. "I don't know what I did, but I didn't mean to hurt you if that's what happened. Either of you," she said.  </p>
<p>You glanced to Luther when he sputtered, visibly scrambling for a response.  </p>
<p>"I would never want to hurt anyone." Her shoulders slumped as she watched Luther try to compose himself. "I'm sorry," she finally whispered.  </p>
<p>"Don't," Luther finally managed to get out. "Just don't." </p>
<p>"Luther," you sighed, worried about what he was going to say. You shouldn't have been, though.  </p>
<p>"Don't apologize," he finished. "I should be the one to tell you sorry." </p>
<p>You felt your eyes widen, wondering what changed Luther's mind. How did he go from believing Vanya had to be stopped to offering her an apology all within the span of minutes? You couldn't help but feel proud of him as you listened to him continue to speak with Vanya.  </p>
<p>"Well, did you do something to me?" Vanya sounded unsure and worried for the first time since the both of you stepped into the barn to confront her. </p>
<p>You opened your mouth, not sure if you were going to jump to Luther's defense or Vanya's or both, but Luther shook his head at you. You understood that he wanted to take the lead in this conversation, so you nodded your head, letting him know you would stay out of it.  </p>
<p>"You want to know what I did to you? I let you down," he said on a shuddering breath. "I should have tried helping you from the start. I should have tried listening to you. I should have been a better person. A better leader," he amended with a quick glance to you before looking back at Vanya. "I just wanted to be the good guy and I lost myself to that. I lost myself to trying to protect everyone and taking everything on my shoulders. I should have remembered that we're a team. A family," he stressed.  </p>
<p>You reached out to squeeze his shoulder, trying to silently lend him support when you saw him hesitate for a moment.  </p>
<p>He nodded his head, still keeping his gaze on Vanya. He let out a helpless laugh. "If you're lying about not remembering us, then I understand. I accept that," he said. "I accept <i>you</i>," he added, a small, rueful smile on his face. </p>
<p>You had a moment to notice Vanya's dumbfounded expression before you felt it. </p>
<p>"Luther," you hissed. "Someone with a gun approaching." </p>
<p>You turned to see a blonde woman walk into the barn, a shotgun held up and leveled at you and Luther. Her mouth was set in a furious line as she considered you and Luther. Her gaze quickly cut to Vanya, as if checking to make sure she was okay.  </p>
<p>Luther didn't even seem to be concerned. "Who's the kid?" You heard him ask, not bothering to turn and look at the woman with a weapon aimed at the two of you. </p>
<p>"He's my son," the blonde woman answered.  </p>
<p>You chanced a quick glance over your shoulder to see a little boy at Vanya’s side. He looked terrified as he watched you and Luther, his hands grasping handfuls of Vanya’s shirt as he burrowed further into her side.  </p>
<p>You moved your attention back to the blonde woman, not wanting to take your focus away from her for too long when she was holding a weapon.  </p>
<p>Luther finally turned to look at her, his eyes dipping for a moment to notice the shotgun, before he met her gaze. </p>
<p>"What the hell are the two of y'all doing here? What do you want?" She asked, her jaw clenched with worry and distress.  </p>
<p>Luther began to reach for his back pocket. </p>
<p>"Slowly," the woman commanded, the gun moving until it was pointing right at Luther.  </p>
<p>You kept your focus on the weapon. You knew there was no way you were going to let her shoot Luther, but you couldn't help but be aware of the gun.  </p>
<p>Luther finally pulled out Carl's wallet for the woman to see and you noticed the gun waver for a moment. On instinct, you reached a hand out, about to pull it towards you, but Luther grabbed your arm.  </p>
<p>"Your husband left this at the Carousel Club, ma'am. I was just looking to return it," he explained. “We didn’t mean to cause any trouble.” </p>
<p>The woman sighed before she lowered the gun and reached out to take the wallet from Luther. She checked it over, as if verifying Luther's story, before she nodded at the both of you.  </p>
<p>"Thank you for bringing it all this way." </p>
<p>"It was no problem," Luther offered. "We'll be going now. Sorry if we scared you," Luther added, using his hold on your arm to start tugging you out of the barn and back to the car.  </p>
<p>You pulled your arm out of his hold halfway to the car. "What the hell, Luther? We can't just leave her here." </p>
<p>"We have to," Luther insisted. "Look, just get in the car. We should really be heading back." </p>
<p>"You can't be serious. We finally found Vanya and we're not even going to try to help her remember?" </p>
<p>"If she doesn't remember, then she's better off that way for now," Luther said as he opened the driver's side door and ducked into the car. He pointedly shut his door and started the car, barely waiting for you to crawl into the passenger seat and close your own door before letting the car roll forward.  </p>
<p>"We should have told her, Luther. She should be with us. She should be with family." </p>
<p>"You think I don't know that? You think I didn't want to tell her about everything? She seemed happy, though. Her part in the apocalypse we barely managed to escape isn't something we should just spring on her when there's a kid and his mom nearby. We don’t know how she’s going to react." </p>
<p>"But there's a new apocalypse," you reminded him. "With Five, Diego, and Vanya now accounted for, then that just leaves Allison and Klaus. Maybe even Ben too, if he came through with Klaus. They must be around somewhere. We need to get the team back together if we’re going to stop the apocalypse that happens in just a few days." </p>
<p>"Y/N, there is no team. There are no more numbers and no need to keep on playing superhero. The apocalypse might be real, but it's just going to have to work itself out without The Umbrella Academy." </p>
<p>"You have to be fucking joking," you hissed, feeling anger rise swiftly within you. "Don't do this to me, Luther. Don’t check out on me now. We've been a team, just the two of us, for the past year. But it doesn't have to just be us anymore. Don't you miss the others? Don't you want us all back together again?" </p>
<p>"Of course I do!" You could hear the indignation in his tone, as if he couldn't believe you would even question him. "You know how many times I've lost my voice shouting for Allison. You know what I've gone through this year. But why does it always fall to us to fix the apocalypse?" </p>
<p>"Because it's usually our fault that the world is ending in the first place!" You didn't mean to shout, but you were starting to get frustrated with the whole argument. Surely Luther could see that the apocalypse wasn’t going to magically disappear because he willed it so. It was something that was very real and getting closer with each wasted moment. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, by the time Luther pulled the car up in front of the Carousel Club, the situation wasn't much better. You were pissed off and hurt. You wanted to see Diego so badly and you hated that Five had been so vague earlier about when you could finally see him. You didn't like leaving Vanya with strangers, especially when she couldn't even remember anything about herself. You felt restless at the thought that Klaus and Allison were likely out there somewhere and you wanted nothing more than to find them.  </p>
<p>You also wished that you hadn't been fighting with Luther for the whole car ride back to the club. </p>
<p>The second Luther stopped the car, you were climbing out. You slammed the door behind you, ignoring Luther's noise of protest.  </p>
<p>"Where the hell are you going?" He called after you when he saw you start to take off down the sidewalk. </p>
<p>"Away from you!" You flipped him off over your shoulder, knowing that the farther away you got from Luther in that moment, the better you would feel. </p>
<p>It was far from the first fight the two of you suffered through since being reunited, but this one felt different. You knew Luther didn't really want to let the whole world wither and die just because he didn't want to play superhero with the others anymore. You knew he was scared and tired. You knew that there was more to it than what he was admitting to you.  </p>
<p> You wished he would let you know what he was thinking, though. You didn’t know how to fix whatever was going on with him and it was driving you crazy.  </p>
<p>You also couldn't help but feel like the both of you were now on two completely different pages. You worried that you were never going to see eye to eye on the issue.  </p>
<p>You suddenly felt exhausted. You were tired of fighting. You were so done with the constant fear that seemed to plague you since landing in 1962. You felt tears well in your eyes as you kept walking, the exercise doing nothing for the frustration you still felt.  </p>
<p>You stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and closed your eyes, trying to calm yourself down. You took a few deep breaths in an effort to get your heart to stop racing. You didn't understand why you felt so unsettled, but leaving Vanya didn't feel right. You wanted to go back to that farm and explain everything to her, but you knew what Luther said rang true. </p>
<p>How would Vanya take knowing about her past in the future and everything she had gone through?  </p>
<p>It wouldn't do to freak her out with the whole superpower reveal or the apocalypse bombshell. You would have to wait for the right moment, even though time seemed to be ticking down to the end of the world yet again.  </p>
<p>You felt someone shove your shoulder, causing you to stumble forward.  </p>
<p>"Watch where you're going," a man snarled, glancing over his shoulder as he passed you. </p>
<p>You felt your rage spike again and before you could even think about why it was probably a terrible idea, you rushed forward and bumped into him. You ignored his shout as you grabbed his wallet, using your power to hold onto his tie clip as you forced him to stumble into the wall of the drugstore next to you.  </p>
<p>You held his wallet up with a triumphant grin. "Thanks, asshole," you spat.  </p>
<p>"Alright, you're under arrest," you heard from behind you.  </p>
<p>You groaned, ignoring the smirk on the man's face before you, as you glanced over your shoulder to see an officer behind you.  </p>
<p>You felt like an idiot for a moment, knowing that if you hadn't been so careless and lost in your anger, then you would have noticed the officer. You certainly wouldn’t have committed a crime right in front of him if you knew he was there.  </p>
<p>You dropped the wallet to the sidewalk, taking care to step on it, before you let the officer handcuff you and lead you to his patrol car. You were tempted to use your power to get out of the situation, but you didn't want to call attention to yourself. If you miraculously escaped from police custody in the middle of a busy street, then it would just raise questions you really didn't want to bother answering.  </p>
<p>When you were brought to the station, you didn't make it much farther than the front desk. One of the cops walking by took notice of you and he leaned in to whisper in the ear of the cop who was trying to detain you.  </p>
<p>You were running your power along the handcuffs around your wrists, feeling them out. You couldn’t help but think it would take just one thought to snap them and free yourself, but you soon realized it wouldn't be necessary.  </p>
<p>"Give Mr. Ruby my regards," said the cop who arrested you. He was quick to help you out of the handcuffs, a nervous expression on his face. "I apologize for the misunderstanding." </p>
<p>"Don't worry about it," you said, waving him off. You turned to leave, but were brought short by the sound of someone's voice. </p>
<p>"Y/N?" </p>
<p>You whirled around, feeling your eyes widen at the sight of Allison standing there. </p>
<p>"Oh my God," you breathed before you rushed forward.  </p>
<p>She let out a delighted laugh, wrapping her arms tight around your waist.  </p>
<p>"You're alive. I can’t believe you’re here and alive," she whispered. "I was so worried about you. About everyone." </p>
<p>"Me too," you got out on a helpless laugh. You couldn't believe after so many months of helping Luther search for her, that she was finally right in front of you. You pulled back, considering her. “And you’re talking!” </p>
<p>She grinned and nodded. “Have been for a while now.” </p>
<p>"God, it’s so good to see you,” you said. The last time you saw Allison, there was a livid bruise marring her throat from Vanya’s attack at Leonard’s cabin. She was healed now, though. She seemed whole and the sorrow that seemed to relentlessly follow her back in 2019 seemed nearly gone. You pulled her back into another hug, feeling grateful that she was right there in your arms. “So, wait,” you started, finally letting her go. “What are you doing in a police station?" </p>
<p>She hesitated for a moment before answering. "I was here to see my husband." </p>
<p>"Husband? You're married?" You blurted, feeling your eyes widen at the revelation. <i>Oh fuck, poor Luther</i>, you thought to yourself. You weren't sure how he was going to handle the news and you really hoped you wouldn't have to be the one to break it to him. Knowing your luck, though, it would end up being you.  </p>
<p>"Almost a year now," she said, a smile on her face. She glanced around the station before looking back to you. "Why are <i>you</i> here?" </p>
<p>You winced, glancing away from her. "I got arrested," you finally admitted.  </p>
<p>"What? For what?"  </p>
<p>"Nothing big," you tried to dismiss. "Stealing. Whatever," you said, waving her off. </p>
<p>She quirked an eyebrow at you, obviously wanting to know more, but seeming as if she was willing to let it go for the moment. "You know, it's funny I ran into you now," she started, a cautious grin spreading on her face.  </p>
<p>"Why's that?" </p>
<p>"I think I know where Klaus is," she offered. "Want to help me track him down?" </p>
<p>You felt exhilarated for a moment at the thought of finally getting to see Klaus again. Your earlier anger and frustration with Luther and Five's reluctance to take you to Diego slipped away at the thought of seeing your best friend again.  </p>
<p>"Let's go," you said, already tugging on her arm to get her to follow you out of the station.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I realize I'm having reader reunite with everyone before seeing Diego. I promise reader sees Diego next chapter. Now, is it a happy reunion? That's the question. 😉</p>
<p>Also, holy shit, thank you to everyone who has shown interest in this and left comments/kudos or bookmarked/subscribed. Y'all are keeping this going and I appreciate the hell out of you. If you'd like to follow me on Tumblr, I'm going to do my best to give updates on where I am in my posting schedule. You can find me <a href="https://imagine-you-are.tumblr.com">here</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. If I Ever Break Your Heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My two requests while you're reading this: Please don't hate me and please be patient. ❤</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I can't believe he started a cult. A <i>cult</i>," you stressed, shooting Allison an incredulous look. </p>
<p>You were lying down on her couch, your head tipped back against the armrest. Your feet were propped up near the other end, your toes brushing against the opposite armrest.  </p>
<p>"Well, it is Klaus," Allison mused, moving to knock your feet off the couch so she could sit down. "Will you be alright sleeping on the couch tonight?" </p>
<p>"Sure," you answered, shooting her a quick grin. “It’s a nice couch.” </p>
<p>After the both of you had finally managed to find out more information about Klaus' whereabouts, it had been late enough that Allison offered to let you crash at her place for the night.  </p>
<p>While you wanted to go see Klaus right away, you knew that Allison likely didn’t want to spend the night by herself with her husband still in jail. You were also reluctant to admit to yourself that you were avoiding talking to Luther for as long as you could manage. While you did want to resolve your fight, you were still a bit upset about everything that was said between the two of you earlier.  </p>
<p>"I love this place," you told Allison, admiring the living room from where you were sprawled on the couch. "What is it that you and your husband do?" </p>
<p>Allison's eyes widened for a moment before she bit her lip.  </p>
<p>"I know that look," you said, sitting up to point an accusing finger in her face. "What have you been up to? It can't be as bad as Klaus and his cult."  </p>
<p>You were pointedly not mentioning your work for Jack Ruby. At least, you weren't going to fess up just yet. If you unraveled that tidbit, then you were going to have to follow up with Luther. You knew Allison would want to see Luther and while you wanted them to reunite, you weren't sure how he would take the wedding band on Allison's left ring finger. Luther wasn't the best at hiding his emotions and if it came down to it, you would tell him when it was just the two of you so he could react however he wanted to.  </p>
<p>"We've been working for the civil rights movement here in Dallas," she admitted with a tiny grin, as if she couldn't help but feel proud of what she had accomplished, even if she probably shouldn't have been making a name for herself.  </p>
<p>"That's incredible," you told her, reaching out to briefly squeeze her shoulder. </p>
<p>"Thanks, Y/N," she said. She opened her mouth to say something else, but was cut off by the sound of the clock chiming the hour. "Shit, it's late. We should probably get some sleep if we're going to surprise Klaus early tomorrow morning." </p>
<p>"I doubt he's going to thank us for showing up so early." </p>
<p>"Well, he's had more than enough time to sleep in without us to bother him. He'll be fine," she dismissed, shooting you a smirk as she got off the couch. "Need anything?" </p>
<p>"I'm good," you told her, moving to lie back down. "See you in the morning," you managed to tell her around a yawn, your eyes already start to slip shut once you had allowed yourself to consider the notion of sleep. Before you could manage to drift off, a thought came to you. "Hey, Allison," you called, your voice soft as she moved to turn off the lamp. </p>
<p>"Yeah?" </p>
<p>"What happened to your coin?" You hadn't been able to feel it even once since reuniting with her. It wasn't in her house or anywhere nearby. You couldn't help but wonder what happened to it. </p>
<p>"Oh," she breathed, her tone conveying her surprise at hearing the question. "It got left in 2019. I'm sorry, Y/N." </p>
<p>You cracked an eye open to see she was frowning at you, an apologetic look on her face.  </p>
<p>"Don't be," you murmured, closing your eye again as you fought sleep to get the words out. "I can always make a new one." </p>
<p>"I'm holding you to that," Allison whispered. "Now go to sleep." </p>
<p>You felt like between one moment and the next, Allison was already shaking you awake.  </p>
<p>"Get up," she insisted. </p>
<p>"Ugh," you groaned, attempting to roll over to face the back of the couch. "Ten more minutes." </p>
<p>"Get your ass off my couch," Allison said, reaching out to tug on your arm. “We have to go see our dear, darling Klaus, remember?” </p>
<p>"Just five more," you tried to negotiate, not wanting to wake up yet. You felt exhausted after the events of the previous day and you only wanted a moment more to rest.  </p>
<p>You heard Allison sigh, as if in defeat, and a smile briefly tugged at the corners of your mouth. Before you could think you had truly won, Allison pulled on your arm hard enough to make you roll off the couch.  </p>
<p>"Ow! Allison! What the hell is wrong with you?" You glared up at her from the floor, reaching up to rub the back of your head where it hit the edge of the couch on your way down.  </p>
<p>"Oh look," she said with a smirk. "You're awake. Ready to go?" </p>
<p>"You're such an asshole," you groaned, holding your arms out for her to help you off the floor.  </p>
<p>Once you were standing, you reached out to tug on a strand of Allison's hair.  </p>
<p>"Hey!" She slapped your hand away, scowling at you. "At least you deserved what I did to you." </p>
<p>"Yeah, yeah," you dismissed, moving to head towards her kitchen. "So, are we going to see Klaus or what?" </p>
<p>By the time the taxi was pulling up to the address you found for Klaus' cult, you felt like you were about ready to shake right out of your skin from restlessness. Halfway through the drive, Allison had placed her hand on your wrist, a show of silent support. From the way she kept biting her lower lip, you weren't sure if she was trying to comfort you or herself.  </p>
<p>When you caught a glimpse of the mansion that greeted you once the vehicle stopped, you couldn't help but let out a disbelieving laugh. "Only Klaus," you muttered. </p>
<p>Allison laughed as she moved to get out of the taxi.  </p>
<p>You made sure to hand over enough money to cover the fare before you followed after her.  </p>
<p>Now that you were finally here, you couldn’t help but worry that Klaus wouldn’t be here. What if you got the wrong address? What if it was all just a freak coincidence and this was somehow the wrong Klaus?  </p>
<p>You stayed back on the driveway as Allison moved to the front door and rang the doorbell. You closed your eyes, seeking out Klaus' coin with your power. For a moment, you thought that it wasn't there. You were scared that it was somehow all a dream. Maybe when you opened your eyes, you would be back at the Carousel Club without a clue as to whether any of the others were alive. Now that you knew what you were missing this whole time, that previous existence felt so lonely. Even with Luther to help you through the past year, many of those moments still felt so empty. </p>
<p>You gasped when your power finally recognized Klaus' coin somewhere in the mansion. You ran your power over it, feeling out the engraved ‘Klaus’ on one side and the raised ‘4’ on the other.  </p>
<p>"What? What's wrong?" Allison asked, her tone nearly panicked. You heard the sound of her footsteps growing closer to you.  </p>
<p>"He's here," you finally said, opening your eyes to see her in front of you. "Or his coin is, at least." </p>
<p>"Well, if he's here, he's not answering the door," she pointed out.  </p>
<p>You sighed and glanced up at the mansion. "I can get through the front door," you told her, wriggling your fingers at her to remind her of your power. "You want to check the back?" </p>
<p>"I've got it," she assured you, already moving to head around the side of the house.  </p>
<p>You watched her until she disappeared from your sight. "Alright, Klaus," you whispered. "Where the hell are you?"  </p>
<p>You used your power to unlock the front door before slipping inside the house. You walked through the foyer, glancing into what appeared to be a sitting room. You caught sight of the painting hung up on the wall, depicting Klaus as if he was a religious figure.  </p>
<p>"What the hell?" You rolled your eyes at the painting, wanting all the more to hear the story of how Klaus fell into leading a cult. Knowing Klaus, it was a really wild tale.  </p>
<p>You closed your eyes and held out your hand, calling his coin to you. You could feel it somewhere upstairs, so when it finally came to you, you couldn't help but study it. It looked the same as always, if a little older. You couldn't believe that Klaus had managed to hold onto his token this whole time. Klaus had always made it a point to hold onto his coin since you created it for him, no matter what. But that was pre-apocalypse and before getting dumped into 1960s Dallas. Just seeing it now brought a smile to your face.  </p>
<p>You heard footsteps running towards you and when you managed to glance up, it was to see Allison coming to a stop in front of you. You noticed she was missing her shoes and the bottom half of her dress was soaked.  </p>
<p>"Why are you wet?" </p>
<p>"Doesn't matter," she dismissed with a shake of her head. She reached out to grab your arm before hurriedly tugging you out of the room. "Come on!"  </p>
<p>She led you to a set of doors that appeared to lead outside towards the backyard. She stopped right at the threshold, turning back to take you back the shoulders.  </p>
<p>"Wait here," she told you before she walked outside.  </p>
<p>From where you were standing, you could catch the faint sound of Allison talking to someone you hoped was Klaus before you heard her yell for you to come out.  </p>
<p>“I already did,” you heard Klaus quip from outside.  </p>
<p>You felt a giddy sense of excitement threaten to overwhelm you at the sound of his voice. It had been such a long time since you had been in his presence that you realized you had almost forgotten what he sounded like when he was being a little shit.  </p>
<p>When you walked outside, it was to see Klaus standing at the edge of a pool in nothing but a pair of swimming shorts. He had a pair of red-rimmed sunglasses pushed back into his hair with one of his arms covering his eyes. You suddenly realized that Allison must have been planning on surprising Klaus, but you couldn't wait for the dramatic reveal. </p>
<p>You rushed forward, seeing Klaus drop his arm in surprise at the noise of someone running towards him. He only had a moment to prepare before you were tackling him back into the pool, both of you hitting the water in a flail of limbs and excited shouts.  </p>
<p>You struggled to find your footing, but Klaus was quick to wrap his arms around your waist, pulling you to stand.  </p>
<p>"Oh my God," he breathed, awe in his voice as he framed your face in his hands. "I thought you were dead too," he confessed. “I can’t believe you’re here.” </p>
<p>"I thought I'd never see you again," you admitted, your voice breaking on the last word and coming out as something that was dangerously close to a sob. You ignored the burn of tears in your eyes as you took him in. "You grew out your hair," you observed. "And started a cult." </p>
<p>"Yeah," you heard Allison say from where she was sitting at the edge of the pool, dangling her feet in the water. "What's up with that?" </p>
<p>Klaus urged you over to the side of the pool, his hands on your waist as he helped you climb out. By the time you moved to sit on a lounge chair with a blue floral cushion, Klaus was already reclining back in his pink pool float.  </p>
<p>Allison was studying Klaus, her head tilted to the side. "How did you manage to end up living in a mansion, Klaus? When I was dropped here in 1961, I didn't have anything. How did you end up with all of <i>this</i>?" She asked as she gestured towards the pool and back of the house.  </p>
<p>"Oh, you know," he sighed, shooting you and Allison a wry grin. "Dicks, drugs, debutantes. My holy trinity," he offered with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.  </p>
<p>You couldn't help but laugh, sharing a fond look with Allison. You had so dearly missed Klaus and his usual antics. Although, you had to admit that creating a cult was a bit more unique than whatever scheme Klaus was normally trying to run in the 2010s.  </p>
<p>"And it's not a cult, okay? Cults hold such a negative and harmful connotation. No, we prefer the term 'alternative spiritual community.'" Klaus didn’t even sound like he fully believed what he was saying while he attempted to downplay the severity of his new life calling.  </p>
<p>You and Allison shared another look, both of you obviously thinking the same thing. </p>
<p>"It's a cult," you managed to say at the same time. </p>
<p>"Don't go judging me with your freaky twin mind powers over there," Klaus snapped. “It is so not a cult.” </p>
<p>You rolled your eyes and called Klaus' coin to you from where it was resting at the bottom of the pool. Once you had it back in your hand, you flung it in Klaus' direction, hitting him on the forehead.  </p>
<p>"Alright, alright," he got out on a laugh, grabbing his coin from where it landed on his stomach. "It might be a tiny bit like a cult." He flipped his sunglasses down, shielding his eyes yet again. "But enough about me. What have you two been up to?" </p>
<p>You listened to Allison talk about her work with the civil rights movement. You couldn't help but feel so proud of her all over again. You knew that having a purpose had likely gone a long way towards helping Allison adjust to the 1960s. While you had been working for a guy with mob connections and Diego was locked up for trying to save Kennedy, Allison had been fighting for a cause that should have been on all of your radars.  </p>
<p>When Allison mentioned her husband, Klaus sat up suddenly in his float. </p>
<p>"You're married?" He gasped, his mouth dropping open in momentary shock. "Well, who is he? Who's the lunatic you tied the knot with?" </p>
<p>Allison shook her head, an amused grin on her face. "His name is Ray. Raymond Chestnut," she amended.  </p>
<p>"Say," Klaus started, leaning forward in his float. "He wouldn't be a former professor or anything, would he? And roguishly handsome?" </p>
<p>"How do you know Ray?" Allison asked, confusion clear in her tone.  </p>
<p>"Oh, we did some time in the slammer together," he said. “Nice guy. Knows his Shakespeare,” Klaus added. </p>
<p>You quirked an eyebrow at Klaus, unimpressed with his self-satisfied smirk.  </p>
<p>"We had a sit-in planned today, but he's not going to be there, because he was arrested for something he didn't even do," Allison explained.  </p>
<p>"Well, why don't you just rumor him out?" Klaus suggested, his eyebrows waggling.  </p>
<p>"I haven't used my power since..." she trailed off, looking over her shoulder at you. </p>
<p>"Since that night at the cabin," you finished for her, wincing at the memory of Vanya losing control. "Right," you said with a nod of your head. You remembered the rage Vanya possessed that night and how it contrasted starkly with the near-serenity she displayed in the barn at the Cooper farm. You slid off the lounger and moved to sit at Allison's side. You grabbed her hand, silently reassuring her that you were both there and still alive after that night.  </p>
<p>"I'm sorry," Klaus responded with a grimace. "That was a really rough night for both of you." </p>
<p>"Yeah," Allison breathed with a laugh. "But it's okay. I'm doing a lot better now, you know? I didn't need to use my power to get where I am now and I'm happier that way. I've worked really hard for this," she said, the corners of her mouth tugging up in a smile.  </p>
<p>You squeezed her hand, still keeping your hold on it. "That's amazing, Allison." </p>
<p>"Yeah," Klaus agreed with a nod. "Amazing." </p>
<p>"Thanks, guys," she said, clearing her throat when her voice caught on the words. She glanced to you, her eyebrow raising in question. "And what have you been up to all this time? You didn't actually tell me last night." </p>
<p>You bit your lip, glancing quickly away from her to study the water before you. </p>
<p>"Oh, you're hiding something," Klaus mused. "What is it? It can't be as shocking as my cult. Come on, spill," he coaxed with a grin.  </p>
<p>"Alright," you conceded with a grimace. "I've been working for Jack Ruby," you confessed, carefully not looking at either one of them. When their stunned silence dragged on, you decided to go for broke. "With Luther," you added, wincing at Allison's sharp intake of breath at your side.  </p>
<p>"Luther? You've been with Luther?" Allison sounded almost hurt that you hadn't mentioned that tidbit before. </p>
<p>"How have you survived all this time with only that big guy for company?" Klaus wondered as he pushed his sunglasses back up into his hair.  </p>
<p>"Surprisingly well," you answered. You glanced over to see Allison studying you, obviously waiting for you to explain. "I didn't know if I should drop the Luther bombshell on you last night. I'm sorry." </p>
<p>Allison sighed before she moved to stand. "It's okay," she muttered. "But I should probably get going. I have somewhere I need to be." </p>
<p>"Oh, I have something I need to do too," Klaus said, managing to awkwardly roll himself off his pool float after flailing about for a moment. He managed to stay upright in the pool before he moved to stand in front of you. "What do you say, Y/N? Want to join me?" </p>
<p>You thought about Luther and your fight the afternoon before. You knew that you couldn't leave him alone for long. Besides, now that you had reunited with Allison, you should probably tell him that she was in Dallas too.  </p>
<p>"I have to get back to work," you admitted. "But I want to see you later. Both of you," you said. "It's been too long." </p>
<p>"Well, if you're not tagging along, then at least let me give you two ladies a ride somewhere. I've got a car," Klaus told you. "Well, it's not <i>my</i> car, but close enough," he admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. </p>
<p>"We're not going to get pulled over for grand theft auto or anything, are we?" You couldn't help but ask, not wanting to believe that Klaus would go so far as to steal a car, but knowing it was still incredibly likely to happen.  </p>
<p>"How do you think I got arrested in the first place?" Klaus pointed out with a wink in your direction. </p>
<p>"Klaus," Allison groaned. "I'm not getting arrested. Having my husband stuck in jail is bad enough." </p>
<p>"Relax," he soothed. "The owner knows I have it. It's mine to use as I please." </p>
<p>"Then by all means," you said, gesturing towards the house. "Let's go." </p>
<p>By the time Klaus was pulling up in front of the Carousel Club, you felt better about your odds against another apocalypse. You hadn't found the time to mention Five or the impending doomsday looming over you all, but you hoped that you or Five would be able to explain everything soon. The team was starting to come back together, and despite what Luther thought, you hoped it would be enough to stop the destruction of the world this time.  </p>
<p>"Thanks, Klaus," you told him. "Not just for the ride, but for keeping your coin all these years. It couldn't have been easy." </p>
<p>"Yeah, well," Klaus started. "You'd be surprised about how creative I had to get just to have it on me. Especially when I chose to go without barely a scrap of clothing on me," he added with a wink in your direction. </p>
<p>"Klaus! What the fuck? I held it earlier and you said nothing!" </p>
<p>Klaus shook his head, a playful smirk on his face. "You didn't bother to ask where it had been, so I decided not to volunteer that information." </p>
<p>You shoved at his shoulder, sharing a laugh with him. "So, you've really been holding onto it since 1960?" </p>
<p>"Yeah," he answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "I figured if you showed up, then you would find me." </p>
<p>"I've been trying to find the coins since I got here last year. Where were you?" </p>
<p>"Oh, around," Klaus offered. "India or Mexico or somewhere. I forget," he responded, his tone flippant. </p>
<p>"Really? Your cult took you all over the globe, huh?" </p>
<p>"Shut it," Klaus hissed, pointing a finger at you as he tried to affect a stern expression. "Now, get out. I've got plans." </p>
<p>You shook your head, reaching forward to tug Klaus into a quick hug. "I'm so glad you're here," you breathed into his shoulder.  </p>
<p>"Me too," he said.  </p>
<p>You gave him another smile before moving to get out of the car. Once you were standing on the sidewalk, you leaned down to consider him in the driver’s seat. A thought came to you as you watched Klaus.  </p>
<p>“Hey, is Ben here?” </p>
<p>Klaus grimaced before he shook his head. “Apparently, ghosts can’t time travel. Go figure, huh?” </p>
<p>You narrowed your eyes at Klaus, trying to figure out if he was lying to you.  </p>
<p>“Right,” you mused, tapping your fingers against the top of the car. “If you’re bullshitting me, I will find out. Don’t think I won’t.” </p>
<p>“Now, why would I lie about that? Obviously, I’ve missed that guy haunting me for the past three years. Look at this face,” he demanded as he pointed towards himself and did his best impression of distraught. “Is this the face of someone who would lie about missing his dear brother?” </p>
<p>“I don’t know,” you drawled. “But if you <i>are</i> lying, I’ll make you sorry.” You pulled back from the car, ignoring Klaus’ indignant squawk at your words. “Bye, Klaus,” you called as you finally shut the car door.  </p>
<p>You stepped back onto the sidewalk and waved at Klaus as he pulled away from the curb. Once his car was gone, you turned to consider the Carousel Club. You weren't sure if you were ready to confront Luther or have the talk you so desperately needed to have, but you knew that Luther deserved to know about Allison. </p>
<p>When you walked into the club, it was to see Jack sitting by himself at the bar. A few others were milling about, getting ready for that night, but you didn't spot Luther among them.  </p>
<p>"Hey, Jack," you called, moving closer to stand near him by the bar. "Have you seen Luther?" </p>
<p>"Yeah, he left not too long ago. He was chasing some ex of his," he explained.  </p>
<p>"Shit," you hissed. You felt a sinking feeling in your gut at the thought of Luther going after Allison by himself.  </p>
<p>"Did you need him for something?" </p>
<p>"No," you sighed, knowing that it might be too late by now. If you were very lucky, then Luther wouldn't find out about Allison's marriage before you had a chance to break it to him gently. You turned away from Jack, looking out over the rest of the club. "Thanks, Jack." </p>
<p>"Hey, I've got to keep my best employees happy," he said, grinning over at you.  </p>
<p>"Oh, Y/N!" You heard Autumn call as she approached you. "Your little brother left you a message while you were out." She pulled a slip of paper from beneath the strap of her dress. "Kept it safe for you," she told you as she handed it over. </p>
<p>"Thanks, Autumn," you said, shooting her a quick smile, before you unfolded the message. Scribbled on the paper was an address you didn't recognize and a name printed beneath. It read: DIEGO.  </p>
<p>"Everything okay? You're lookin' a little spooked, darling," Autumn mused, reaching out to place the back of her hand to your forehead, as if checking for a fever.  </p>
<p>"I have to go," you said, backing away from her. "Thanks!" You called over your shoulder, rushing towards the front door.  </p>
<p>You figured Luther must have taken the car to go try to track down Allison, so driving was out of the question. When you glanced at the address again, you realized that it was practically where you landed in 1962. You didn't even have to really think about it before you took off running down the street. The address was close enough that it didn't take you long before you were standing outside of a building that claimed to be an electronics store named Morty's.  </p>
<p>You frowned up at the sign, hoping you had the right place, before you moved to open the front door. The bell rang over the door, signaling your arrival, and prompting a man you didn't recognize to peer down at you from the second floor.  </p>
<p>"Who the hell are you?" He called, a frown on his face. </p>
<p>"Five sent me," you answered, hoping it would be all the explanation you needed.  </p>
<p>The man’s face immediately smoothed out into an expression of wonder. "Oh, you're one of <i>them</i>. I thought I recognized you. Come up, come up," he urged, beckoning for you to join him.  </p>
<p>The guy waited until you walked up the stairs to hold his hand out for you to shake in greeting. </p>
<p>"I'm Elliott," he introduced.  </p>
<p>"Nice to meet you," you told him, glancing around the room for a sign of Diego. "Do you know where Diego is? Five said I could find him here." </p>
<p>"Oh, Diego? Yeah, he's in my bedroom over there with his girlfriend," Elliott said, nodding over towards a room just off to your left.  </p>
<p>"What the fuck? His girlfriend?" You were sure you didn't hear that right. There was no way Diego had a girlfriend. <i>You</i> were his girlfriend, weren't you? "That must be a mistake," you told Elliott, willing to give Diego the benefit of the doubt. Maybe Elliott was just confused. Maybe Elliott didn't even know Diego. You could only hope that there was a way to explain his choice of words besides the one that made you feel like your heart was literally ripping apart in your chest.  </p>
<p>You brushed past Elliott and walked over to the room he pointed out earlier. You took a deep breath, your hand on the doorknob, before you pushed the door open.  </p>
<p>You weren't prepared for the sight that greeted you on the other side of the door. You first noticed Diego sitting on the edge of the bed. His hair was longer and he had a beard. Then you noticed that he wasn't wearing anything except for a pair of underwear. There was a bloodied piece of gauze taped to his stomach from a wound fresh enough that it had to have happened within the past day. And it was at that moment you finally realized that he wasn't alone.  </p>
<p>His face was turned towards a woman's, his eyes dipping briefly to glance at her lips. You felt like you couldn't breathe for a moment as you took in how close they were. You wanted to hope that you had it all wrong, but there was really only one way to take witnessing the guy you were in love with, stripped down to a pair of tighty-whities, with his face pressed awfully close to a woman you didn't know and had never met before.  </p>
<p>As the woman leaned closer and brushed her lips against Diego's, you felt like your world was collapsing around you. What were those months of pining even good for if it just ended in this? You had hoped and prayed to be reunited with Diego, but you never expected that when you finally did, your heart would be broken in the process.  </p>
<p>"Oh," you breathed in surprise when it looked like he wasn't going to push her away.  </p>
<p>Diego pulled away from the woman and looked at you. His eyes widened in shock. He moved to stand up, hissing as he clutched a hand over the wound on his abdomen.  </p>
<p>"Y/N, you're alive," he said, an awestruck expression on his face as he studied you. </p>
<p>When he took a faltering step towards you, you turned and fled from the room. You were quick to use your power to slam the door behind you, locking it so Diego couldn't follow after you.  </p>
<p>"Ow! Fuck, Y/N," you heard Diego groan from the other side of the door. "That was my nose!" The doorknob rattled as he tried to open the door, but you had no intention of letting it budge. "Damn it, let me out!" </p>
<p>"Who was that?" You heard the woman ask, her British accent carrying through the shut door.  </p>
<p>"Not now," Diego snapped. You could feel him starting to pick the lock, and while you were tempted to warp it so he would have to find another way out of the room, you didn't want to do that to Elliott.  </p>
<p>"It was really nice to meet you," you told Elliott as you rushed towards the stairs. "Tell Five I need to speak with him when you see him again. He knows where to find me," you got out in one breath, the urge to flee too strong to bother sticking around to make sure Elliott caught anything out of what you just told him. </p>
<p>As you hurried down the sidewalk away from Morty’s, you felt like you were in shock. There was a buzzing in your head and a weight in your chest. Your hands were clammy and shaking as you stuffed them in the pockets of your pants. You kept glancing over your shoulder to make sure you weren’t being followed and picked up your pace at the sense of urgency you felt to get the hell away from Diego and the pain he just caused you.   </p>
<p>By the time you made it back to the Carousel Club, you felt like your heart was threatening to beat right out of your chest. You weren't really sure what you needed in that moment. You couldn't think and you didn't want to let yourself feel, because once you did, you were sure to lose it. You didn't want to take your anger out on Jack's club and you sure as hell didn't want to bother looking for Diego again. Clearly, he had moved on.  </p>
<p>When you didn't find Luther or Jack, you suddenly remembered Luther had a big fight that night.  </p>
<p>"Fuck," you hissed. You weren't in the mood to watch Luther get his ass half-kicked yet again, but you knew you had to be there. Jack expected you to show up and even though you felt like you could fall to the floor and never get up again, you knew Luther needed you there too.  </p>
<p>"Y/N? What are you doing here?" You heard Autumn ask, concern in her expression. "You did remember the fight was tonight, right?" </p>
<p>"Yeah, I got it," you said waving her off. "I'm going now," you assured her before you turned towards the bar. You approached it and flagged down the attention of the bartender. "Shot of whiskey, John." The sight of Diego kissing that strange British woman flashed across your mind. "Make it a double." </p>
<p>"Got it," John acknowledged with a nod.  </p>
<p>You drained the shot once he handed it over, relishing the burn of the alcohol as it slipped down your throat, before you nodded to John. "Thanks," you choked out before you left to catch however much of Luther's fight was left. </p>
<p>By the time you got there, Luther's fight was well underway. You sought out Jack, startling at the fury written in his expression.  </p>
<p>As you got closer to Jack and took in more of the fight happening in the ring, you realized why Jack was so pissed off.  </p>
<p>Luther was losing. Badly.  </p>
<p>Jack waved you over once he noticed you, his jaw set with anger. "I got a lot of money riding on this fight, Y/N. What the hell does your brother think he's doing?" </p>
<p>"He's not thinking," you told Jack, catching the lost expression on Luther's face as he was hit yet again across the jaw.  </p>
<p>"Well, he better think real hard about what it's going to mean for the both of you if he actually loses this fight," Jack threatened. "Maybe he'll listen to you," he insisted, pressing a hand to your shoulder as he urged you forward.  </p>
<p>When you moved towards the ring, you caught sight of a couple of familiar faces watching Luther's fight on the opposite side of the room.  </p>
<p>"What the hell are they doing here?" You wondered as you waded through the crowd. You approached Five and Vanya, your focus split between Luther’s fight and their reactions to Luther getting his ass handed to him. You touched the tips of your fingers to Vanya's shoulder as you pressed close to her side, shooting her a quick, reassuring smile.  </p>
<p>When you looked back to Luther's fight, it was to notice blood streaming from his nose and his arms barely held up in an attempt at defending himself.  </p>
<p>"This isn't the time to reenact Fight Club just because you want to feel something, Luther!" You yelled, hoping Luther would hear you over the cheers and jeers around you. “You need to hit him back! You need to win this!” </p>
<p>"Oh my God," Vanya breathed at a particular nasty hit to Luther's side. </p>
<p>"Why isn't he fighting back?" Five called to you, most of his focus staying on Luther. </p>
<p>"Because he's an idiot," you snapped. You winced as Luther got hit again. "It's not worth it! Think about what you’re doing!" You hoped your shouts were reaching Luther, but from the way he was swaying and still egging on his opponent, he was likely only focused on one thing.  </p>
<p>You caught another glimpse of Jack's furious expression and felt a spike of anxiety at the thought of losing Jack Ruby's favor. It definitely wouldn’t help your situation with everything else going on.  </p>
<p>"Luther, are you crazy? Just hit him," Five insisted. </p>
<p>You glanced over to consider Vanya and Five, catching sight of their concerned expressions. Vanya was likely confused about what was going on, since she probably didn't remember much of anything about Luther, but she still looked like she was worried about Luther's wellbeing. Five looked like he didn't understand why Luther was allowing himself to get his ass kicked.  </p>
<p>You thought you understood, though. Luther was feeling the same thing you were in that moment.  </p>
<p>It was a combination of anguish, despair, grief, and sorrow.  </p>
<p>Luther was suffering from a broken heart.  </p>
<p>It was at that moment that Luther got hit with an uppercut that knocked him on his back. When he didn’t get back up, you knew that he had well and truly lost the fight.  </p>
<p>"Shit. Luther," Five muttered.  </p>
<p>"Wait, why didn't he fight back?" Vanya asked, glancing from you to Five.  </p>
<p>You shook your head before jumping into the ring. You rushed forward to check on Luther, hating his dazed and pained expression as he stared up at the ceiling.  </p>
<p>You glanced up at the dwindling crowd and noticed Jack watching the two of you, his face clouded over with rage.  </p>
<p>"Fuck," you hissed. “I hope it was worth it, big guy,” you grumbled.  </p>
<p>"Allison," Luther murmured, catching your attention.  </p>
<p>You glanced down to see his eyes glass over with unshed tears.  </p>
<p>You sighed and reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, Luther," you breathed. "We're quite the lovesick pair, aren't we?"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It's like, 7:30 in the morning and I haven't slept yet, so I'm going to go to sleep and hope I don't wake up to y'all hating me. I swear everything gets resolved for reader and Diego! ❤</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. I'm So Far From My Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Again, please be patient and please don't hate me.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>By some miracle, you managed to get Luther back to your apartment with Five's and Vanya's help.  </p>
<p>Luther had passed out the second you managed to get him into his bed. Five opted to stay outside with Vanya's car while you and Vanya waited for Luther to finally wake up.   </p>
<p>"What's going on with him? Why did he let himself lose like that?" Vanya asked, concern laced through her tone as she moved about your kitchen. She grabbed a dish towel and started filling it with ice, shooting you a quick glance over her shoulder in question.  </p>
<p>"It's a long story," you dismissed. "And it's probably something Luther should talk to you about himself." </p>
<p>Vanya nodded, but you could tell she was still curious.  </p>
<p>She brushed past you and walked back into Luther's room. You could hear her softly calling his name as you moved to trail after her.  </p>
<p>You wondered if Luther had well and truly fucked up your relationship with Jack Ruby. You remembered the barely contained rage in Jack’s expression the last time you saw him. You knew there would be hell to pay for Luther’s mistake, but you weren’t sure when Jack strike.  </p>
<p>"Allison?" You heard Luther mutter, hope in his voice. </p>
<p>"No, it's me," Vanya was saying as you walked into the room. "Sorry to disappoint you," she told him as she handed over the towel filled with ice. "Do you need anything else? A pillow or maybe some aspirin? I'm sure Y/N can point it out to me," she said, glancing to you as if seeking assurance.  </p>
<p>Luther groaned as he pressed the ice to the side of his face. He moved to sit up, swinging his legs over the side of his bed until he was settled on the edge of the mattress. "What are you even doing here, Vanya?" </p>
<p>Vanya looked to you, a helpless expression on her face, as if silently requesting your help. When you only shrugged your shoulders, she sighed and turned back to consider Luther. "Well, you're my brother, aren't you? And my sister," she added, nodding to you.  </p>
<p>Luther sighed and shook his head, already appearing as if he just wanted to go back to sleep. "Five found you, didn't he? That's why you're here?" </p>
<p>"He's with the car outside. He didn't want to come up with us," Vanya explained. She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Five thought that you would be better off alone." </p>
<p>Luther scoffed before he rolled his eyes. You noticed him wince in pain at the movement before he dropped the makeshift ice pack to rest on his leg. "Yeah, well, Five's an asshole." </p>
<p>"Such an asshole, right?" Vanya readily agreed, a tiny smirk on her face as she moved to sit beside Luther.  </p>
<p>Luther and Vanya both looked to you where you were leaning up against the doorframe of Luther's room, clearly wanting your opinion. </p>
<p>You raised your hands, shaking your head. "Oh, no argument from me on that one." </p>
<p>You had had time to really think about the events of the past couple of days. First, Five blipped right back into your life before spouting doomsday predictions yet again. Then, he up and left you after promising to reunite you with Diego the second he got your compliance. Once you finally got to reunite with Diego, after a year of pining and heartache, you saw him kissing some other woman. Add to that the fact that Diego was obviously shocked to see you alive and well only further proved one thing to you. </p>
<p>Five hadn't bothered to tell Diego you were here. Five had intentionally not mentioned to Diego that you were alive. Five didn't have your back so much as he really wanted you to drop everything and help him.  </p>
<p>So, understandably, you were angry with Five. You felt betrayed by both him and Diego. And if you had it your way, then you would have used Five's power to rewind time just so you could take back your promise to help Five stop the apocalypse and warn yourself before you got your heart broken by Diego yet again.  </p>
<p>You were so tired of being let down by your family and you were really tired of letting Diego break your heart.  </p>
<p>"I'm sure Five must have told you something,” Luther said while he studied Vanya. “What all are you up to speed on?" </p>
<p>"Yeah, Five did manage to fill me in on some things. Uh, seven children, a talking chimpanzee, a very warm and cuddly father," Vanya listed with a wry note in her voice.  </p>
<p>You snorted at the idea of Hargreeves showing any of you even one ounce of genuine love. "Yeah, you could say that," you grumbled. </p>
<p>"And an apocalypse," Vanya added, her tone growing somber.  </p>
<p>"He told you about that?" Luther glanced to you, as if he wasn't sure about the turn the conversation had taken. You shrugged your shoulders before looking at Vanya, wanting to know what she knew.  </p>
<p>"Not all of it," she answered. "I think there's something he left out. I think he's deliberately hiding something from me. About me," she amended.  </p>
<p>"Huh," Luther breathed, shooting you another questioning look. </p>
<p>You grimaced before debating with yourself for a moment. Finally, you nodded your head. If Five was going to dole out information as he saw fit, then maybe it really was on you and everyone else to keep each other informed.  </p>
<p>"What caused the apocalypse?" Vanya looked to you briefly before glancing back at Luther, as if she assumed he was more likely to answer her question.  </p>
<p>You saw Luther take a deep breath before he caved. "You did," he responded.  </p>
<p>You saw Vanya's face fall at that. You knew she must have suspected, but to actually hear the words had likely been jarring for her. You crossed the room and dropped down onto the edge of Luther’s bed, joining Luther and Vanya. You reached out to put a hand on Vanya's wrist, hoping to lend her at least an ounce of comfort. </p>
<p>"But not alone," Luther rushed to reassure her. "I was part of it. Y/N too," he said, gesturing to you. "We all were. It was all of us," he stressed. "We're all to blame for at least some of it." </p>
<p>Vanya's shoulders slumped and she looked momentarily lost, as if she didn't know how to reconcile what Luther was telling her. "How? What happened?"  </p>
<p>"You got angry," Luther started, reaching out to put a hand on Vanya's other wrist.  </p>
<p>"For good reason, though," you tried to assure her. You knew there wasn't really any good excuse for destroying all life on the planet, but you also knew that learning you were the cause of an apocalypse was a lot to process. You weren’t really sure what must have been going through Vanya’s mind in that moment, but you were sure it wasn’t anything good.  </p>
<p>"You lost control," Luther continued. "Put a hole through the moon and it blew up. Pieces of it slammed right into the Earth and it wiped out everything. From what Five told us about the aftermath of that apocalypse, there were no survivors." </p>
<p>Vanya shook her head, her hand moving to clasp yours. Her grip was tight enough that you had to hide a wince. She seemed so desperate for a connection in that moment that you didn’t have the heart to shake off her hold.  </p>
<p>"But why? Why would I do that? What excuse could I possibly have for doing something like that?" </p>
<p>"It's complicated," Luther said, turning to face Vanya. "Look, you had a bad childhood," Luther started, his voice unsure, as if he didn't quite know how to explain why Vanya would almost literally explode and take the whole world with her.  </p>
<p>Your attention caught on what seemed to be various pieces of metal heading your way. You recognized a gun and different odds and ends, but you couldn’t guess the person’s identity from that alone.  </p>
<p>"Someone's coming," you warned, moving to stand in case you needed to defend Luther or Vanya.  </p>
<p>When the front door banged open and Jack Ruby stormed into the apartment, you moved to intercept him. </p>
<p>"Now, Jack," you started, holding your hands out as you attempted to keep him from going into Luther’s room.  </p>
<p>Jack quickly brushed past you, causing you to stumble into the doorframe. Luther stood when he noticed Jack, but Jack was quick to push into his space.  </p>
<p>"Why the hell did you throw that fight, Hargreeves? You should've had it. It was an easy one for you," he insisted. Jack's face was flushed red with anger and he was slowly backing Luther up against the wall. </p>
<p>Vanya had moved to stand at the intrusion, her eyes wide as she took in the scene. "Hey, leave him alone," she tried to butt in, but Luther shook his head.  </p>
<p>"I was having a bad night, Jack. I was just off. I'm sorry." </p>
<p>"Bad night," Jack scoffed. "<i>Bad night</i>. I can show you a bad night, Hargreeves. A bad night is losing a lot of money to people who could really make my life hell. A bad night is what I'm going to do to you for letting me down." </p>
<p>"Now, just wait a minute," you said, stepping forward. </p>
<p>Luther was quick to shake his head, holding out a hand to silently tell you to back off.  </p>
<p>You bit your lip to keep from saying anything else. You so badly wanted to use your power to haul Jack away from Luther. You wanted to do or say something, <i>anything</i>, to get Jack to leave Luther alone. But from the look on Luther's face, he seemed to want to handle this by himself.  </p>
<p>"I'm sorry, Jack. I'll make it up to you, okay? I'll do better next time," Luther promised. “I’ll get your money back. I’ll even double it if you give me the chance.” </p>
<p>Jack sneered up at Luther before he finally took a step away from him. "I treated you like a son. Like a daughter," he said when he glanced to you. “And this is the thanks I get?” </p>
<p>"Don't take this out on Y/N," Luther tried to reason. "This isn't her fault. It's all on me." </p>
<p>"Luther," you started, shaking your head. You wanted to tell him that if Jack was cutting ties with Luther, then there was no way in hell you were going to keep working for Jack. The only reason you were on Jack Ruby’s radar in the first place was because of Luther. If Luther wasn’t in, then you weren’t either. </p>
<p>"We're through, Hargreeves. <i>Through</i>," Jack hissed before he turned and stomped out of the room.  </p>
<p>You shared a quick look with Luther before you went after Jack. You weren't even sure what you could say or do to get Jack Ruby to change his mind, but you still had to try.  </p>
<p>You could hear Luther calling after Jack, but he didn't seem to be following either of you.  </p>
<p>"Jack, just hold on a minute! Why can't we work something out?" </p>
<p>Jack rounded on you, pointing an accusing finger in your face. "I haven't gotten this far by trusting people who let me down. You both had one chance and your brother blew it for you." </p>
<p>He turned and resumed walking, his steps measured and sure as you trailed after him.  </p>
<p>"Listen, Luther wasn't thinking, okay? He didn't do it to hurt you. He was just going through something and had really bad timing."  </p>
<p>You felt helpless as Jack continued to ignore you. You weren’t even entirely sure why you were fighting so hard to keep you and Luther in Jack’s good graces, but you had come to like Jack. He really had been looking out for you and Luther since you both came into his employ. In a way, you felt almost as if you were losing a friend. Not to mention, you would miss Autumn and John and all the others at the Carousel Club. You had come to enjoy having their presence in your life, even if they shouldn’t have been there in the first place.  </p>
<p>You weren’t really sure what you could do in that moment except to follow Jack downstairs and out to his car.  </p>
<p>"Come on, Jack," you pleaded. "For me?" It was a last-ditch effort, but you couldn't help but try to appeal to him.  </p>
<p>Jack sighed as he opened his car door and slid into the driver's seat. "It's a damn shame," he grumbled. “Both of you were some of the best employees I ever had.” He looked up to you, his hand on the door, poised to close it. "But as far as I'm concerned, I never want to see another Hargreeves again."  </p>
<p>You flinched as Jack slammed his car door shut before he started his car.  </p>
<p>"Yeah? You and me both, buddy" you muttered as you watched Jack drive away.  </p>
<p>You heard a loud crashing noise from upstairs and turned to consider your apartment building. You weren't sure how you knew, but you assumed the noise had something to do with Luther or Vanya. Knowing them, it was probably both.  </p>
<p>You took a few hesitant steps towards the building, but you were surprised by the sight of Vanya rushing outside. </p>
<p>"Vanya? You okay?" You couldn’t help but ask once you noticed the distraught expression on her face. </p>
<p>"Fine," she bit out. She sighed and shot you a quick, apologetic look. "Fine," she repeated. "This is all just kind of a lot. And I should really get going." </p>
<p>You frowned after her, not sure she should be on her own after everything she just learned. You trailed after her in the direction of her car, spotting Five leaning up against the driver's side door.  </p>
<p>Five noticed you and Vanya walking towards him and hastily stood up. "So, are you ready to go? We should really get going." </p>
<p>"I'm going, but not with you. I'm needed back at the farm," Vanya told Five as she approached him.  </p>
<p>"No, that's unacceptable," Five insisted. "We all need to stick together. Time is not on our side with this, Vanya." </p>
<p>"Oh, like it wasn't when I destroyed the world the first time?" </p>
<p>Five's face fell and you couldn't help but roll your eyes at the visible proof that Five really had been intentionally keeping information from Vanya.  </p>
<p>"Did Luther tell you that? Or maybe it was Y/N?" He asked, glancing to you. He frowned at whatever expression you were wearing before looking back to Vanya.  </p>
<p>You weren't even sure what you were really feeling as you listened to Vanya and Five argue. A tiny part of you really wanted to help Five. You believed him about the new apocalypse, since that just seemed to be the kind of shit that followed your family at this point. But you were starting to question if you could really trust Five to be there for you in the way you needed him.  </p>
<p>"Were you even going to tell me?" Vanya asked as she moved to open the driver's side door of her car.  </p>
<p>Five groaned before he shook his head. "You know what? In my defense, no. I wasn't going to tell you. All right? I mean, can you really blame me? When you get angry, shit blows up, right?" Five glanced to you again, as if asking you to back up what he was saying. You had no intention of trying to help him out with his mess, though.  </p>
<p>Vanya scowled as she moved to get into the driver's seat. "Is there anything else you failed to mention? Am I secretly an alien or something too?" </p>
<p>"Not that I know of," Five mused. "But that's not the point. There's a lot of shit I'm not telling you now, but I don't exactly have the luxury of unloading all of your personal history for you, Vanya. As I’ve told you before, we don’t seem to have the time." </p>
<p>Vanya sighed, obviously exasperated, as she pulled her car door shut.  </p>
<p>Five moved to knock insistently on the driver's side window. Vanya shot him an unimpressed look before she reluctantly rolled the window down.  </p>
<p>"Listen, the clock is ticking on doomsday. Just please tell me that when I need you, you'll be ready." Five’s voice wavered for a moment, as if he couldn’t believe that he was losing the support of his family members already. </p>
<p>Vanya glanced away from Five before she shook her head. "I can't help you, Five. How can I? I don't even know who I am. I don't know anything." </p>
<p>"I'll tell you who you are," Five responded. "You're our sister," he continued, gesturing between himself and you. "You're our family. A part of our team. A member of The Umbrella Academy. And like it or not, <i>that</i> is who you are. Tell her, Y/N," he implored, glancing to you again for help.  </p>
<p>You shrugged your shoulders, shooting Vanya a contrite look.  </p>
<p>At your silence, Vanya moved to start the car, already turning her attention away from you and Five. "Well, that's who I was, okay? New timeline, new me," she said before she started pulling away. </p>
<p>"No, that's not how that works," Five insisted, taking a step forward as if he could stop Vanya from driving away. "Stop her," Five hissed at you. "Don’t just stand there! Help me out here." </p>
<p>"Just let her go, Five. She's been through a lot. She needs time to process," you reasoned.  </p>
<p>"We need her now, though. The apocalypse is coming," Five persisted.  </p>
<p>"You should really find a new line," you told Five, shaking your head.  </p>
<p>"What is with you? Why are you acting this way?" You saw his focus shift from you to something just over your shoulder.  </p>
<p>You caught the annoyed expression on his face before you turned to see what exactly had caught his attention.  </p>
<p>Apparently since you left him, Luther had punched a hole right through the wall of your apartment. He was watching you and Five through it and once he noticed he was the subject of Five’s scrutiny, he brought his bandaged right hand up to flip Five off.  </p>
<p>"Do you think it's too late to be un-adopted? Here we are with another apocalypse and you're all useless to me again," Five muttered. </p>
<p>You turned to glance at Five, quirking an eyebrow at him.  </p>
<p>"I could really use your help, Y/N. After everything we've faced, I can't do this alone,” Five claimed as he reached out to wrap his fingers around your forearm. </p>
<p>"Yeah? Well, I could have really used a brother,” you argued as you pulled out of his hold. “Looks like we're both not going to get what we want." </p>
<p>"What? What the hell are you on about?" Five’s brows furrowed in confusion while he considered you.  </p>
<p>"Did you know about Diego?" Your voice was so quiet and small that you almost didn’t recognize it at first.  </p>
<p>"Know what about Diego? That he's an idiot? It's kind of hard to miss," Five tried to deflect. </p>
<p>"No, about him and the British woman," you explained. </p>
<p>"Who? Lila?" </p>
<p>You huffed out a disbelieving laugh. "Goodbye, Five," you told him before you turned away.  </p>
<p>Five blipped until he was standing in front of you. "What do you want from me? An apology? I'm sorry, okay? I didn't think it was important at the time." </p>
<p>"You couldn't even fucking tell him I was alive? Do you know how much it fucking hurt to walk in and see him kiss her? To find out that he was looking at someone else when he should have been looking for me!" You didn’t care that you were basically shouting at your brother just outside of your apartment building. You were tired of feeling used and all you wanted was to leave. Leave Five, the 1960s, and everything else behind.  </p>
<p>"Do you really think that's what's important right now? Can't we fix your relationship issues after we save the world?" </p>
<p>"There is no 'we' right now, Five. You're hiding shit from us again. You're only telling us what you want us to hear. You said you wanted to save us, but you seem to only be looking out for yourself. Goodbye, Five," you repeated, your tone brooking no argument this time.  </p>
<p>You were glad when Five let you walk away.  </p>
<p>You ran into Luther on your way back into the apartment building.  </p>
<p>"Where are you going?" You couldn't help but wonder, knowing that Luther was already having a rough day despite the fact that it was just starting. It seemed that he had every intention of running away from his problems too.  </p>
<p>"Out," he answered succinctly. He at least had the courtesy to hold the door open for you, so you slipped beneath his arm and into the lobby of the building before turning to look at him. "I just need a little bit of time alone." He sighed before considering you. "Are you going to be okay?" </p>
<p>"I'll be fine," you lied.  </p>
<p>"You're crying," Luther pointed out as he reached out to brush away a tear on your cheek. "I can stay," he offered. You could tell by the tone of his voice that he really wanted to leave, though. </p>
<p>"I'll be fine," you told him, almost meaning it that time. "I'll find you later." </p>
<p>"Alright," Luther said before he patted you briefly on the shoulder. “See you later.” </p>
<p>You watched him walk out the door and out of your sight before you forced yourself to turn towards the stairs.  </p>
<p>You barely had time to step into your apartment before your landlord, Peter, was knocking on your door.  </p>
<p>"You both have to leave," he told you the second you let him in. </p>
<p>"What? Is this about the wall? We can fix that," you promised.  </p>
<p>"The wall? What happened to the wall?" </p>
<p>"Nothing," you denied. "But if that's not it, then why are you kicking us out?" </p>
<p>"Because you're on Jack Ruby's shitlist now. I can't have you living here with him angry with the two of you. I have to look out for myself." </p>
<p>"Oh, come on, Peter. We haven't given you any reason to believe that we'll cause you trouble." You really, really hoped he didn't go into Luther's bedroom. It would be a lot harder to try to sell him on your innocence once he spotted the hole Luther punched through his bedroom wall.  </p>
<p>"You and your brother have until the end of the day to get out of here. That's all I can give you," he said before he left, leaving you to watch him go. </p>
<p>You moved to sit down on the floor of the living room as you barely resisted the urge to tear your hair out in frustration. You felt like everything was falling apart and you couldn’t do anything to stop it. You just wanted one moment to yourself to try to digest everything.  </p>
<p>You finally forced yourself to get up off the floor and move into the kitchen. You grabbed the notepad next to the refrigerator and scribbled a message for Luther. You knew he would likely be back at some point that day and you didn't want him to get a surprise visit from Peter as well.  </p>
<p>You weren't really sure what you planned to do as you packed some of your belongings into a bag. You didn't plan on taking much, since you figured you wouldn't need all that much if the world really ended at some point in the next week. It was almost pathetic that you didn’t even have that much to leave behind in the first place.  </p>
<p>By the time you got outside, you could only think of a couple of people you really wanted to see at that moment. When you realized you were lacking a car to get you where you wanted to go, since either Jack had already repossessed the car he loaned you or Luther had taken it, you resolved to steal Peter's car. You weren't proud of yourself, but you were more than a little frustrated with everything. You were also more than a little displeased that Peter was kicking you and Luther out with barely a day to find a new place or make accommodations for yourselves.  </p>
<p>You were never happier to have your power than when it allowed you to do stupid, petty deeds like take Peter's car. You were sure you would get it back to him. Or you would leave it somewhere it could be picked up and brought back to him. But it felt good to have your own little tiny bit of revenge.  </p>
<p>You weren't really sure if Klaus would be home, but you quickly realized you shouldn't have worried when you turned down the driveway to his mansion. You caught Klaus clutching a bottle of alcohol to his chest as he ran away from a group of people. He looked so distressed that you couldn’t help but feel a little alarmed as you neared him.  </p>
<p>You used your power to open up the passenger side door, catching Klaus' relieved expression when he noticed you.  </p>
<p>"Get in!" You called, waving towards the open door. </p>
<p>Klaus dove into the seat and hurried to close the door behind him.  </p>
<p>"Go, go, go," Klaus chanted, reaching out to slap at your shoulder when you didn't immediately drive away.  </p>
<p>You used your power to push back the people crowding around the car, hoping you didn't accidentally injure anyone. You managed to drive the car around the obstacles in your way and get back out onto the road leading away from the mansion.  </p>
<p>"Thank Christ you showed up when you did," Klaus breathed, clutching a hand to his chest as he panted. </p>
<p>"Was that your cult?" </p>
<p>Klaus hissed out a breath, clearly not happy with your choice of words, before he sighed. "Yeah," he conceded. "That was my cult." </p>
<p>He sounded so defeated that you couldn't help but reach out and briefly squeeze his shoulder. "Why were you running from them? Did they do something to you?" </p>
<p>"They were just so suffocating and I'd had enough of them. They kept touching me and I could never get them to just leave me <i>alone</i>," he growled. "For people who hang onto my every word, they're really terrible listeners," he got out on a weak laugh.  </p>
<p>"That sounds terrible," you told him. You really didn’t want to have this conversation while you were driving. You figured you were safe enough to pull over, so you eased the car onto the shoulder, doublechecking that there was no one around to bother the both of you. "God, I hope I don't get arrested again. This is my landlord's car," you confessed with a wince.  </p>
<p>Klaus snorted and saluted you with the bottle of gin in his hand. "Jail isn’t so bad. Besides, I’ve got the connections to get you out.” He considered the bottle in his hand before he glanced to you with a forlorn expression on his face. “You know, I was three years sober before today." </p>
<p>"Fuck, Klaus," you breathed. You studied the lost and heartbroken look on his face and couldn't help but think there seemed to be more than enough of that feeling going around the team lately. "So, what happened?" </p>
<p>"Dave." </p>
<p>"Oh shit, is he here?" </p>
<p>"Yeah. I went to see him today. He hit me because of his shitty uncle Ryan." Klaus glanced over his shoulder into the backseat before he rolled his eyes. "<i>Brian</i>. Brian," he told you, sounding unamused.  </p>
<p>"He hit you? Why the hell did he do that?" From everything Klaus had ever told you about Dave, you couldn’t help but think it sounded out of character for him.  </p>
<p>"I just tried to talk to him. I tried to make him understand. I just wanted him to know that I loved him. That he had more to live for than pleasing whatever bullshit his family was pushing on him." </p>
<p>"But, Klaus, he's a lot younger than you remember him. The Dave you saw today isn't the Dave you met in Vietnam. They're different." </p>
<p>"Well, yeah, but that's not the point. I just wanted to stop him from enlisting. If I stop him from enlisting, then he doesn't get killed. He could live, Y/N. Don't you get that?" He looked to you, his eyes wide as he practically begged you to understand him.  </p>
<p>"Oh, Klaus," you sighed, reaching out to put a hand on his arm. "I don't know if there really is anything you can do about that. If he's going to enlist, then he's going to enlist. If he's meant to die in Vietnam, then I don't know if you can change that. We've already fucked up the timeline enough as it is." You hated saying the words, because you knew that if you had the opportunity to save someone you loved, you would despite any potential consequences. You wanted Dave to live too, but you didn’t want Klaus to get his hopes up only for him to spiral if it turned out not to work.  </p>
<p>"Don't give me all that 'meant to be' bullshit. You were supposed to die, yeah? But look! Here you are," he said as he reached out to pinch your arm. </p>
<p>You winced, rubbing at your arm, before you glanced away from him. “Yeah, well I won’t be so lucky next time,” you murmured.  </p>
<p>"Oh no," he sighed. "What is it now?" </p>
<p>"Remember that little girl?" </p>
<p>"The one who basically booted me out of the afterlife because she didn't care for me? Yeah. I do." </p>
<p>"Well, in order to not truly die last time, I made a deal.” </p>
<p>"What kind of deal?" From the tone of Klaus’ voice, you thought he almost sounded apprehensive of what you had to say. </p>
<p>"The next time I die is the <i>last</i> time I die. No takebacks. No more deals. I'm just dead," you admitted with a frown. </p>
<p>"Well, shit," he mused. "I know that's how it usually works, but <i>shit</i>," he stressed.  </p>
<p>"Yeah," you offered, feeling distressingly powerless as you considered all of the misfortune you had suffered. Powerless to stop your impending doom, powerless to stop the apocalypse of 2019, and powerless to stop yourself from getting dropped into a foreign and unknown decade. A thought occurred to you as you suddenly remembered that Klaus had not only spent ten months in Vietnam the first time, but also been the first of you to land in the 60s. "So, wait. How old are you now? You’re older than most of us now," you pointed out. </p>
<p>Klaus frowned at you before he seemed to realize what you meant. "Oh, I don't know," he sighed. "You know me and math. The only thing I've ever been good at is counting how many drinks it takes until I'm numb again," he mumbled before he took another swig from the gin bottle. </p>
<p>"Jesus, Klaus," you breathed. "That's pretty morbid." </p>
<p>"Yeah," he managed to say with a helpless laugh. "It is, isn't it?" </p>
<p>"All of us have such fucked up love lives," you remarked, staring out the windshield of the car at the sky. It was starting to get late and you couldn’t help but wonder how you wasted a whole day going from one fucked up conversation to the next.  </p>
<p>"Oh? What about you and Diego? I've been rooting for you crazy kids since I caught you making out on your deathbed back in 2019." </p>
<p>Klaus’ words brought up the memory of Diego and Lila kissing. You were powerless to hide your flinch at the unwelcome recollection. </p>
<p>"What did that asshole do now?" Klaus' voice turned serious. "I could kick his ass for you. He's overdue, I'm sure." </p>
<p>You snorted at the idea, not wanting to voice that Diego could easily take Klaus.  </p>
<p>Klaus seemed to know what you were thinking, because he was quick to backpedal. "Okay, well, I at least fight dirty. I'd do my best to make him really uncomfortable." </p>
<p>"Thanks, Klaus," you managed to say around your laugh, surprised that the mirth you felt was genuine. "But that's okay." You sighed as you watched a car pass by, your power briefly reaching out to brush against the vehicle. "I found Diego kissing some other girl," you finally admitted.  </p>
<p>"What? Why would he do that to you?" </p>
<p>"Does it matter? He's moved on. Maybe I should too." </p>
<p>"Well, fuck that," Klaus insisted. He handed the gin bottle over to you. “You need this as much as I do.” </p>
<p>"I have to drive," you reminded Klaus.  </p>
<p>"A little won't hurt," he told you. "Just enough to get that lovelorn look off your face." </p>
<p>You sighed and took the bottle from him. You only took one small sip, just enough to savor the taste, before you handed it back to him.  </p>
<p>“Thanks, Klaus,” you sighed. “You always know how to distract me.” </p>
<p>"Hey," Klaus whispered, his hand reaching out to tilt your face in his direction. "You've always been there for me, you know? Even when I fucked up. Even when everyone left me or I left them. You were there. I haven’t forgotten that despite being separated for three years." </p>
<p>You shrugged your shoulders, offering him a small smile. "I love you, Klaus. I don’t plan on going anywhere without you again if I can help it." </p>
<p>"You don't," he echoed, a thoughtful look on his face. His gaze dipped to consider you before he leaned forward and brushed his lips against yours.  </p>
<p>You felt your breath hitch at the feeling of Klaus pressed close to you. Once upon a time, this would have been the best moment of your life. You used to crave a moment like this with Klaus when you were younger. But now, you knew it wasn't right. Klaus wasn’t who you wanted to kiss and you knew he didn’t really want to be kissing you.  </p>
<p>Still, you couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of his lips pressed to yours when he moved back in for another tentative kiss. It wasn't until Klaus' fingers drifted across your collarbone that you tore yourself away from him.  </p>
<p>"We can't," you blurted. "Klaus, we're both hurting. We can't do this." </p>
<p>Klaus sighed before he folded himself back into his seat. "You're right," he said before he took another drink. "I'm sorry." </p>
<p>"Don't be," you told him. You reached out to tug on the sleeve of his shirt. "I understand," you offered with a reassuring smile. </p>
<p>"You do, don't you?" Klaus tipped the bottle in your direction before he gulped down another mouthful. "So, what do we do now?" </p>
<p>You only had to think about it for a moment before the answer came to you. If Klaus hadn't been home, then there was only one other destination you had in mind when you left your apartment earlier. </p>
<p>"Allison's?" You suggested, glancing to Klaus for his reaction. </p>
<p>Klaus hiccupped before nodding his head. "Allison's," he agreed.  </p>
<p>By the time you abandoned Peter's car and found yourself at Allison's doorstep, Klaus was well on his way to wasted. You had to keep a hand wrapped around his bicep to keep him from careening off into the bushes and collapsing there.  </p>
<p>When Allison answered the door, fond exasperation flashed across her face at the sight of Klaus before she looked to you.  </p>
<p>"What are you two doing here?" </p>
<p>"¡Hola!" Klaus called, swaying and bumping into you. "¿Está Allison en casa buena?" Klaus slurred, squinting at Allison with a pleased grin on his face.  </p>
<p>"Oh, sweet Jesus," Allison muttered. "How much has he had to drink?" </p>
<p>"I'd say fairly a lot," you answered, grimacing when Klaus stumbled and fell against you. "Fuck, Klaus, help me out here," you grunted, attempting to take his weight.  </p>
<p>Allison rolled her eyes and turned, leaving the door open for you and Klaus to enter her house behind her.  </p>
<p>"We just need a place to crash for one night," Klaus insisted, holding up a finger as if to illustrate his point. "We need to lie low," he whispered to her, like he was confiding a secret.  </p>
<p>Allison quirked an eyebrow at you, clearly wanting to know more.  </p>
<p>"It's a long story," you stated. "I'll fill you in later." </p>
<p>Allison sighed before she led the two of you into her living room. "I guess you two can fight over the couch." </p>
<p>Klaus immediately pushed himself away from your side and stumbled over towards it. "Don't go chasing waterfalls," he muttered. "Stick to the rivers and lakes that you're used to, bitches," he warbled before he promptly collapsed on the couch and almost immediately passed out.  </p>
<p>You and Allison shared a look before she moved to cover Klaus with a blanket.  </p>
<p>"He's had kind of a rough day," you told Allison when she turned around to study you. </p>
<p>"Yeah? It seems like all of us have." She glanced down at Klaus before looking to you again. "Did you want to talk about it?" </p>
<p>"Not yet," you answered. "Do <i>you</i> want to talk about it?" </p>
<p>"Not yet," she echoed with a rueful smile. "I just really want to sleep, I think." </p>
<p>"Yeah," you sighed, staring at Klaus on the couch. "That's probably what we all need," you reasoned. You really weren't looking forward to a night sleeping on the floor, but you figured it was your only option.  </p>
<p>"I don't think Ray is coming back tonight," Allison admitted, a frown pulling the corners of her lips down. "So, we can share my bed. We can figure everything out in the morning." </p>
<p>"Thanks," you whispered, shooting her a smile. </p>
<p>"Don't mention it," she dismissed with a wave. “Come on,” she told you before she started to lead you out of the living room.  </p>
<p>"Klaus will be sad he missed the slumber party," you mused, glancing once more at Klaus passed out on the couch, lightly snoring into the cushion beneath him.  </p>
<p>"We'll make it up to him," Allison promised, shooting you a tiny smirk over her shoulder before she beckoned for you to follow her upstairs.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Don't hate me, don't hate me, don't hate me. I'm really hoping y'all liked this one! I promise Diego is in the next chapter and he will eventually get his turn to be jealous. And I know Luther's landlord's name is actually Phil on the show, but Luther's living somewhere different with reader, so I just chose my own name. </p>
<p>Thank you to everyone who has shown this love. Y'all are keeping this going and motivating the hell out of me. And if you follow me on <a href="https://imagine-you-are.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a> and would like to be tagged in updates, please let me know. 💖</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. De Säger Tiden Läker Såren</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Title is supposed to be Swedish for 'they say time heals wounds.' So, hopefully that's right. That Swedish cover of 'Hello' blew me away, so I really wanted to use that for this chapter's title.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You and Allison came downstairs the next morning to the sight of Klaus lying face down on Allison's kitchen floor. He was clutching a flask in one hand and muttering away to someone you couldn’t see.  </p>
<p>"What ghost are you talking to now?" Allison asked once she descended the stairs. She arched an eyebrow at Klaus before walking past him.  </p>
<p>"Just another cowboy," Klaus assured her as he pushed himself to sit up. He squinted up at you as he slid himself across the floor until he was propped up against Allison's fridge. "You know, Texas is just lousy with them. They're everywhere. And while I usually find them pretty cute, this one is just ugly," he said before take a quick sip from his flask. He grimaced before barely holding in a burp. "And dumb," he helpfully added with a glare across the room.  </p>
<p>You glanced from Klaus to the seemingly empty space he was considering and back to Klaus. You sighed and shook your head, moving to sit down on the floor in front of Klaus. He held the flask out to you, but you shook your head.  </p>
<p>"Allison? Want some?" He shook the flask at her, as if that was enough to entice her.  </p>
<p>"Klaus, I'm not going to enable you. If that's what you're looking for, then you came to the wrong place," Allison informed him. </p>
<p>Klaus groaned before he hit his head once against the refrigerator behind him. "I hate to be the one to point it out to you, but your marriage is in shambles and your rally turned into a riot." He looked at you, quirking an eyebrow. "And don't even get me started on your issues with Diego," he emphasized, waving his hand at your face.  </p>
<p>You scowled at him before reaching out to swipe the flask from him. You took a good, long drink before passing it back to him.  </p>
<p>"So, if now isn't the appropriate time for a bitch-session and some drinking, then when the hell is it?" Klaus continued, doing his best to get through to Allison.  </p>
<p>Allison sighed before she dropped down to the floor beside Klaus. She reached out to take the flask from him before grimacing at the taste of the cheap alcohol that filled it.  </p>
<p>"So, what happened to you two?" Allison glanced from you to Klaus, gesturing for him to go on. "If we're going to unload all of our issues, then you start." </p>
<p>"Oh," he sighed, frowning down at his flask once it was back in his hand. "Where to even begin? My claustrophobic cult tracked me down, I fell off the wagon," he stressed with a wave of the flask in his hand. "And I found the love of my life here in Dallas, but he's younger, hasn't met me yet, and doesn't know he's gay. Oh, and he punched me because his blatantly closeted uncle told him to. But not in that order," he explained, winking at Allison, as if there wasn't an undercurrent of pain laced through every word he uttered.  </p>
<p>"And you? What issues are you having with Diego?" Allison asked as she considered you.  </p>
<p>You ignored Klaus shoving the flask in your face and turned towards Allison. "I walked in on him kissing some other woman," you begrudgingly admitted. You finally took the flask from Klaus and indulged in another mouthful of its contents when he didn’t let up. </p>
<p>"That asshole," Allison breathed. "He needs a good punch in the face." </p>
<p>"Right?" Klaus asked with a laugh. "That's what I thought too." </p>
<p>"Well, look at us. We're quite a group," Allison mused.  </p>
<p>"Yeah," Klaus agreed with a grimace.  </p>
<p>Allison sighed before she took the flask out of Klaus' hand and threw it to the floor.  </p>
<p>"Hey! What the fuck, Allison? That's all I had," Klaus mourned as he reached out to pick his flask up.  </p>
<p>Allison shook her head before she moved to stand up. "I have a blender and some much better booze," she told him. "So, if we're gonna start day-drinking, we should do it right." </p>
<p>Klaus grinned up at Allison, clutching his hands to his chest. "I love you so much." </p>
<p>You moved to stand as well, bumping your hip companionably against Allison's. "Show me this blender and let's get started." </p>
<p>You weren't really sure how much time had passed between your first drink and your third. Allison wasn't lying when she said her booze was much better and you happily took advantage of every drink she put in your hand.  </p>
<p>Half the time you were drinking, you were also idly crafting a new coin for Allison. You weren't even halfway through by the time your head was starting to pleasantly buzz from the alcohol. You had to make do with bits of odds and ends found around the room, but you figured it would work just as well as any of the other tokens.  </p>
<p>You were all sitting in the living room, laughing about Klaus' recounting of the time he fed his cult Spice Girls lyrics as one of his teachings, when Five blipped right into the middle of the room.  </p>
<p>You heard Klaus shriek as he startled, half his drink sloshing right over the side of his glass.  </p>
<p>"What the hell, Five?" Allison breathed in shock, putting a hand to her chest. "You scared us!"  </p>
<p>"I see you've all been doing some family bonding. And drinking," Five observed when he noticed the empty bottle of tequila on the coffee table.  </p>
<p>"What are you doing here, Five?" You asked, tipping your head to rest against the back of the armchair you were sprawled on. "Come here to emotionally ruin me some more?" </p>
<p>Five's jaw clenched before he visibly forced himself to relax. "We're having a family meeting. Come on," he urged. "We don't have time to waste." </p>
<p>You shook your head, waving him off. "I don't want to go," you moaned. "You guys go on without me. I'll stay here by myself. Maybe I'll take a nap," you added as you closed your eyes, wanting nothing more in that moment than to go back to sleep. You were seriously considering just napping until the world ended, because then at least you wouldn't have to face Diego, before you were torn out of your fantasy by a hand wrapping around your bicep. </p>
<p>You were forcibly pulled out of the armchair, and when you opened your eyes, it was to see Five standing right in front of you. "We all need to get our shit together," Five hissed. "<i>All</i> of us. And if I need to drag you all the way there, then so help me I will." </p>
<p>"Hey!" Klaus protested as he got off the couch and approached you and Five. "She's a grown woman. She can walk all by herself," he said before he stumbled right into you, sending you both to the floor. </p>
<p>You and Klaus devolved into a fit of laughter as Five glanced to Allison. "Please tell me you're more sober than these two idiots," he said, gesturing towards you and Klaus clutching each other on the floor.  </p>
<p>"Probably not," Allison mused as she tipped her drink in Five's direction. "But if there's a family meeting, then we should probably be there." </p>
<p>You weren't really sure how Five managed to corral the three of you and get you back to Elliott's. You thought it had something to do with the fact that he promised Elliott had more to drink at his place and at the prospect of more free alcohol, Klaus and Allison readily agreed. They only had to assume a pair of pitiful, pleading expressions and aim them your way before you caved.  </p>
<p>You were listening to Klaus affect his best French accent as he kept repeating the same phrase over and over again, as if his whole drunken rant about his cult and the drink he just finished were at all connected. "No, it's le petit mort, le petit mort," he insisted, slapping your arm as if that would suddenly gift you the clarity you lacked in order to understand him. </p>
<p>"What are you even talking about? And you don't even speak French," Allison pointed out, quirking an eyebrow at Klaus.  </p>
<p>He groaned before he shook his head. "No, it's the little death. Don't you get it? Have you no sense of culture?" </p>
<p>You shared a look with Allison before you both burst out laughing. Spending the morning drinking and talking with Allison and Klaus had done wonders for your mood, so by the time you stepped into Elliott's store, you had almost forgotten why you wanted to avoid it in the first place.  </p>
<p>Klaus poked at a table displaying radios. "Get a load of this old junk, huh?" His eyes were shielded by the sunglasses he donned the second he stepped outside, but you knew his eyes were wide as he looked to you.  </p>
<p>Five looked like he was torn between fond amusement and regretting his decision to come and get the three of you.  </p>
<p>"Is anyone even here?" Allison asked, glancing to Five. "I thought you said the others were supposed to be here. Hello!" She yelled, projecting her voice up towards the second floor.  </p>
<p>"Oh wow," you heard Klaus breathe as he moved to pull his sunglasses away from his face. He tucked them into the front of his shirt as he turned his attention towards the people standing at the railing on the second story. "I know this is impossible, but did we all get sexier?" </p>
<p>You snorted and shook your head, finally joining Klaus and Allison in considering the others. You noticed Vanya, Luther, and Elliott all standing there, but your eyes couldn't help but seek out Diego.  </p>
<p>You startled when you realized Diego was already watching you. There was an apology in his eyes that you weren't sure if you were ready to accept. You had a very painful history with Diego and his kiss with Lila had only reminded you of all the years of pining and heartbreak you suffered because of him.  </p>
<p>You quickly glanced away and moved to stand near Allison. It was then you noticed she was staring at Vanya with an awestruck expression on her face. "Vanya," she breathed. She looked like she couldn't believe Vanya was alive and whole and standing right upstairs.  </p>
<p>A smile stretched across Vanya's face as she considered you and Allison. "I can't believe I have two sisters," she said, wonder in her tone. She moved to descend the staircase to her right. When she got to the first floor, she stopped right in front of Allison.  </p>
<p>"I missed you," Allison offered as she put a tentative hand on Vanya’s shoulder. She looked like she wasn't sure where she stood with Vanya.  </p>
<p>You knew that Allison always genuinely cared for Vanya, even when she was ending the world, so you knew that going two years without one word as the fate of Vanya and the others must have taken a toll on her. You reached out to nudge her in the side, silently reminding her you were there with her.  </p>
<p>"Well, thank God someone did," Vanya joked.  </p>
<p>Allison and Vanya shared a quiet laugh before they both moved to pull each other into a hug. You were watching them and pointedly not looking at where Diego was reuniting with Klaus. You could hear them softly talking, but you were worried that if you looked at Diego, then you were going to be tempted to suddenly forgive and forget.  </p>
<p>"Oh, that's so sweet," you heard Klaus sigh before he grabbed your arm. "Come on, Y/N," he coaxed before he pulled you in towards Allison and Vanya.  </p>
<p>"No," you heard Allison start, but was quickly cut off by Vanya's delighted laugh.  </p>
<p>Vanya moved to wrap an arm around Klaus' waist. Vanya seemed so happy to be indulging in the moment with you all that Allison quickly relaxed into the hug, moving to pull you in even closer to her side.  </p>
<p>"Hey, Vanny," Klaus said before he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head.  </p>
<p>You couldn't help but notice that Klaus seemed happier than the previous day. Just seeing that wide grin on his face as he talked to Vanya and Allison made you feel happier as well.  </p>
<p>"Well, now that we're all back together again, it's time to get this meeting underway. Klaus," Five called, gaining all of your attention. "Is Ben here?" </p>
<p>"Oh, no," Klaus sighed, affecting a distraught expression as he pulled away from the group hug. "Unfortunately, ghosts can't time travel. Isn't that crazy?" He asked on a weak laugh, glancing around the group as if imploring everyone to agree with him.  </p>
<p>You narrowed your eyes at him, suddenly suspicious. Klaus seemed to notice your scrutiny and quickly glanced away, not meeting your gaze. You remembered Klaus' claim of chatting up phantom cowboys in Allison's kitchen earlier that morning and wondered if Klaus had actually been talking to Ben. You loved Klaus, but even you had to admit that he was petty enough to deliberately hide Ben's presence if Klaus was mad at him.  </p>
<p>You were going to grill him further, since you had a pretty strong feeling he was lying, but Diego stepped in front of you at that moment.  </p>
<p>You felt yourself freeze, suddenly aware of each and every knife he had hidden away on his person.  </p>
<p>"Hey," he whispered, his hand reaching out to brush against yours. "I can't believe you're here and alive." </p>
<p>"Yeah, you seemed really concerned over my survival when I found you kissing someone else," you couldn't help but point out. You didn't want this to be your reunion with Diego. You wanted to forget about his kiss with Lila and take him into your arms. But you couldn't seem to let it go. You could feel everything you had been waiting to say to Diego trying to fight its way out of your mouth. Everything seemed so messed up and tainted by his perceived betrayal that you weren't even completely sure what you wanted to say or how until the words were out there.  </p>
<p>"It's never going to be me, is it?" You couldn't help but blurt out, years of insecurity finally making itself known.  </p>
<p>"It's always going to be you," Diego rushed to assure you. "It <i>is</i> you." </p>
<p>"Don't feed me that bullshit because it's what you think I want to hear. It hasn't been me since we were sixteen, Diego. I'm starting to think it's never going to be my time with you." </p>
<p>"What? What are you talking about?" </p>
<p>"First Patch and now Lila," you told him, shaking your head. "It's never me." </p>
<p>"I thought you were dead," he reminded you, helplessness in his tone. "And the thing with Lila doesn't even matter, because--" </p>
<p>"And that's really an excuse?" You exclaimed, cutting him off. "I thought you were dead for over a year, Diego. And I still waited." </p>
<p>"Y/N, I--" </p>
<p>"Uh, bup, bup, bup, mister," Klaus cut in, moving until he was standing between you and Diego. He held a palm up, shoving his inked 'goodbye' into Diego's face. "Stop in the name of love. Before you break Y/N's heart even more. Really, think it over," he said before tapping Diego on the forehead. </p>
<p>"If you don't get your hand out of my face, I'm going to cut it off," Diego threatened as he moved to shove Klaus' hand away.  </p>
<p>"Can we all just get upstairs?" Five suggested, sounding tired as he considered the three of you. "We've got something important to discuss," he stressed, his focus zeroing in on Diego.  </p>
<p>"That's a good idea," you said, reaching out to grab Klaus' arm. "Let's go." </p>
<p>Luther and Vanya were already heading up the stairs while you urged Klaus to go before you.  </p>
<p>"Hey, Diego," Allison called as she moved to climb the stairs after you. "First you break Y/N's heart and then you can't say hi?" </p>
<p>Diego growled something under his breath as he moved to start climbing the other staircase to the second floor.  </p>
<p>"What was that?" Allison called, a tiny smirk on her face.  </p>
<p>"Hi, Allison," Diego answered, turning to roll his eyes at her. "Happy?" </p>
<p>"Overjoyed," she responded, shooting you a wink when she noticed you watching.  </p>
<p>You couldn't help a tiny laugh as you finally turned back around. When you got to the second-floor balcony, Luther was waiting for you. He tugged on the sleeve of your shirt and pulled you aside towards the railing.  </p>
<p>"What's this about Diego breaking your heart?"  </p>
<p>"It's nothing," you tried to dismiss. You were thankful that the others seemed to have your back, but you didn't want to make a big deal out of it. It had been good to talk about it with Klaus and Allison earlier, but you really didn't want your relationship issues to be a topic of discussion during the family meeting.  </p>
<p>"Pfft," Klaus sputtered. "Nothing? She only caught him making out with some other woman!"  </p>
<p>You didn't even realize Klaus was listening to you and Luther. You were also surprised when Vanya popped up from behind Luther.  </p>
<p>"You're with Diego?" She asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.  </p>
<p>Luther frowned at Klaus and then Vanya before looking over to where Diego had taken a seat on one of the couches. "Want me to kick his ass for you?" Luther offered when he turned back towards you.  </p>
<p>"That's what I said!" Klaus exclaimed, nudging Luther in the side. "Hey, whatdya say, big guy? I go for his legs and you hit him in the face?" </p>
<p>Luther rolled his eyes before he put a hand to Klaus' face and pushed him away. But when he looked to you, he quirked an eyebrow in question, as if he really was about to hit Diego if you indicated that was what you wanted.  </p>
<p>"That's sweet of you. Both of you," you amended with a tiny smile in Klaus' direction. "But I have it handled, okay?" </p>
<p>Klaus waggled his eyebrows at you before he moved to take a seat on the other side of the room. </p>
<p>Luther looked like he wasn't sure if he believed you, but by the time you both turned to join the others, there were only two spots open. One was beside Vanya and the other was beside Diego. Luther sighed before pointedly taking the seat by Diego, nodding at you as if he was doing you a huge favor.  </p>
<p>You noticed Diego glance between you and Luther, his eyebrows raised in surprise, but he didn't comment.  </p>
<p>You moved to take the seat left open between where Vanya was sitting and Allison was perched on the arm of the couch opposite Diego and Luther. When you looked around the room, you noticed that Elliott wasn't there. You wondered if Five had asked him to make himself scarce for the moment.  </p>
<p>Vanya leaned closer to you. "So, what's going on between you and Diego?"  </p>
<p>You opened your mouth to answer, not quite sure what to really say, when Five cut you off.  </p>
<p>"Before we get started, I thought I'd apologize. I know I really screwed the pooch on this whole 'going-back-in-time-and-getting-stuck' thing. But the real kick in the pants is that we escaped one apocalypse only to essentially create another here in 1963." </p>
<p>Klaus had been making a drink at a counter near his chosen seat, but at Five's words, he turned around to look at the rest of the group. "There's another apocalypse?" At everyone's complicit silence, Klaus' mouth dropped open in momentary shock. "What the hell? Are you kidding me? Everyone knew about this except for me?" He shot you an accusing look and you shrugged your shoulders in answer. "How did everyone know about the apocalypse before me again?" He took a sip of his drink before he almost spit it out when he seemed to have a revelation. "Oh my God. My cult is gonna be so pissed. Five! I told them we had until 2019," he moaned before shuffling over towards the chair he previously claimed and dropping into it.  </p>
<p>"We have until Monday," Five remarked. "That's only six days." </p>
<p>Klaus took a sip of his drink before nodding over towards Vanya. "Is it Vanya?" </p>
<p>Allison's scandalized interjection of 'Klaus!' was only punctuated by you using your power to fling Allison's half-finished token at his head.  </p>
<p>"What? It's usually Vanya," Klaus asserted as he picked up the coin. He flicked it up into the air and moved to catch it again, but you were quick to pull it back to you. Klaus stuck his tongue out at you in annoyance.  </p>
<p>You smirked at him before pouring your focus back into the coin. You were halfway through engraving Allison's name on one side, so you wanted to finish your work on that before you raised the ‘3’ that would take up the other side.  </p>
<p>"Do you have any leads, Five?" Vanya wondered, sitting forward in her seat as she considered him. When she caught sight of what you were doing, she leaned over to study the coin where you had it hovering in the air in front of you. "That's so cool," she breathed. "Can you make me one?" </p>
<p>"Definitely," you agreed. "Once I finish this one, I'll start on yours." </p>
<p>"Thanks," Vanya said, offering you a grateful smile.  </p>
<p>It wasn't until you looked up again that you noticed Five was handing a file over to Allison.  </p>
<p>"We've only worked out one lead so far," Five said, a displeased look on his face. You knew he was probably having flashbacks to his first run-in with an apocalypse. The only real clue he had in the days leading up to the apocalypse of 2019 was a prosthetic eye. It turned out the only clue any of you had about the apocalypse of 1963 was a photograph of... </p>
<p>"Hargreeves," you muttered as Allison's coin dropped to your lap before rolling onto the floor.  </p>
<p>"Holy shit," Allison breathed, surprise in her voice. "Is that Dad?" </p>
<p>"Yeah," Diego answered. </p>
<p>Vanya was leaning over you to get a better look at the picture. You were suddenly aware of Klaus resting his weight on the back of the couch as he attempted to get a better glimpse of the photograph as well.  </p>
<p>"That's really him?" Vanya sounded like she was trying to measure up the grainy photo of Reginald Hargreeves with whatever mental image she had already crafted of the man.  </p>
<p>"And where is he in that photo? Standing on the grassy knoll," Diego pointed out.  </p>
<p>"Diego and I have been trying to talk to Dad about his possible involvement with a certain historical event, but we haven't exactly been successful in our efforts to have an actual conversation with him," Five said, sounding resigned. "We've got nothing." </p>
<p>"Not nothing," Diego refuted as he shook his head. "He's right there on the grassy knoll on assassination day. He's planning to kill Kennedy." </p>
<p>You absently recalled Allison's token back to your hand, trying to process everything being said. It really wouldn't surprise you to learn that Hargreeves was somehow involved in the end of the world or the assassination of Kennedy, but you couldn't help but wonder why Diego seemed so adamant about it all. </p>
<p>"We're not even sure what's going to offset doomsday. It could be any number of things. It could be Kennedy, but odds are, it's something entirely independent. If something has changed the timeline, then we have to fix it," Five noted.  </p>
<p>Allison frowned as she looked from Diego to Five. "But how does that work? It can't be that simple," she commented. "If we don't know what changes the timeline, then how can we fix it?" </p>
<p>"She's got a point," you said. </p>
<p>"Oh, come on," Diego groaned. "We know enough. We know that there's a new apocalypse. We have proof that Dad is standing right there on the grassy knoll the day it happens. Five and I found out that Dad is having some shady-ass meetings with some shady-ass people. Isn't that enough to prove it to you?" </p>
<p>"Speaking of that," Five cut in, turning his focus from Diego to you. "Y/N, Luther said you spent some time with Dad before Luther showed up and ruined it all. What can you tell us about that?" </p>
<p>"Not much," you offered, feeling helpless for a moment. "You know what that old jackass is like," you started, glancing around the room at the others. "Always vague, always unhelpful, and always guarding a secret. I worked my way into those stupid parties he held, sure, but did I get any closer to figuring out what the hell he was doing? Not at all," you finished. "I know it's not much, but I think he <i>is</i> hiding something. I could have spent years with him and it wouldn’t have made a difference. He wouldn’t have told me anything." </p>
<p>"Well, at least we know where he is in three days," Diego pointed out as he nodded towards the file still in Allison's hand. "He's standing right where he needs to be in order to kill the president. So, I think we all know what needs to be done." </p>
<p>"Right," Five agreed with a nod. "Find Dad." </p>
<p>"Kill Dad," Diego suggested at the same time.  </p>
<p>They turned to look at each other, both seemingly unimpressed with the other.  </p>
<p>"Okay, but we're not supposed to be here, right? That means that it could be us," Vanya said as she quickly considered everyone. "Has anyone here done anything to screw up the timeline?" </p>
<p>An awkward silence fell over the room as you all seemed to realize that you had been spending your time in the 1960s doing anything but laying low and staying quiet. You noticed Klaus shake his head, as if attempting to deny he had any hand in possibly causing a ripple in the timeline, and you quirked an eyebrow at him.  </p>
<p>Luther cleared his throat before sitting forward in his seat. "Diego's been stalking Lee Harvey Oswald," he finally blurted.  </p>
<p>"And you've been working for Jack Ruby," Diego accused as he pointed one of his knives in Luther's direction. </p>
<p>"Well, so has Y/N," Luther argued.  </p>
<p>"Oh no," you told him, shaking your head. "Don't pull me into your shit, Luther." </p>
<p>"You know," Klaus mused as he glanced at Allison. "Allison has been very involved in local politics." </p>
<p>"Okay, but <i>you</i> started a cult!" Allison shot back, clearly unamused with Klaus calling her out.  </p>
<p>Klaus mock-growled and hissed at her, clawing his hand as if imitating a cat, causing you to grin down at the coin in your lap. You got back to working on it while Vanya spoke up. </p>
<p>"I'm just a nanny on a farm," she offered, sounding unsure for a moment. "I don't have anything to do with all of that." </p>
<p>Allison shrugged her shoulders as she turned to study Vanya. "Well, you might," she mentioned. "But maybe we just don't know it yet." </p>
<p>Vanya frowned at that, so you reached out to pat her on the shoulder in consolation.  </p>
<p>"Don't worry," you told her. "If it's any of our faults, then it's all of our faults." </p>
<p>It didn't seem to comfort her, but you noticed she did relax a tiny bit back into her seat.  </p>
<p>You heard Klaus gasp and glanced up to see he was staring at you with wide eyes.  </p>
<p>"What if it was <i>the kiss</i>?"  </p>
<p>You tried to subtly shake your head at Klaus, not wanting him to go down that road. Klaus had a really terrible habit of putting his foot in his mouth and it seemed he was already halfway there. If you were lucky, then you could rein him in before all hell broke loose. </p>
<p>"You're drunk," you told him. "And you need to shut the hell up." </p>
<p>"Kiss?" Allison asked, frowning down at you. "What kiss?" </p>
<p>"Yeah," Diego drawled as he narrowed his eyes at Klaus. "What's all this about a kiss?" </p>
<p>Klaus smirked at Diego. "What? Like the one you and that British lady shared?" </p>
<p>"Let's forget about Lila," Five cut in. "She's not important. This is," Five insisted.  </p>
<p>"Please, Five, do go on," you said, cutting a quick glare at Klaus. "Cut it out," you mouthed at him.  </p>
<p>"What? It was just a tender moment between two besties," he claimed, gesturing between you and himself.  </p>
<p>"Oh, fuck," you whispered, barely resisting the urge to cover your face with your hands.  </p>
<p>"Yeah," Diego said, drawing the word out. He glanced from Klaus to you and then back again. "When you were younger, right?" </p>
<p>"What? No, yesterday," Klaus answered, snorting as if Diego was being ridiculous. "It was a really nice moment. She was hurting and I was hurting and it was just two best friends being there for each other," Klaus continued, shooting you a wink as if he was at all helping the situation. "But what if that was enough to cause another apocalypse?" He asked as he looked to Five. “Admittedly, I was the one to make a move, so would that make it my fault this time and not Vanya’s?” </p>
<p>"Stop talking," you hissed at him. “A kiss doesn’t end the world, Klaus.” </p>
<p>“It rocked mine,” he purred, gifting you with a wink.  </p>
<p>"What?" Diego bit out, his eyes growing wider with each word Klaus delivered. He suddenly had one of his knives in his hand and aimed at Klaus. "What the fuck are you talking about?" </p>
<p>"Okay, okay," Klaus conceded, holding up his hands, as if in defeat. "In our defense, we had been drinking and we were both incredibly upset--" </p>
<p>Diego launched a knife at Klaus, but you were quick to reach out with your power. Once it was in your hand, you carefully tucked it under your leg.  </p>
<p>"Alright, enough," Five shouted. "Let's move on before Diego kills Klaus." </p>
<p>Diego looked like he wanted to say more, but he growled something under his breath and turned away. He took a deep breath, as if trying to control himself, before addressing the group again. "Everything in our new lives is connected to Kennedy. Jack Ruby, protesting the government, Dad lurking on the grassy knoll, Klaus is..." He trailed off, frowning at Klaus when he noticed him casually playing with his hair. “Doing something weird and kissing my girlfriend behind my back, but I'm sure it's somehow related. Clearly, we're all here for a reason," he said as he glanced around the group, as if making sure he had everyone's attention. "Saving John Fitzgerald Kennedy," he finally finished. </p>
<p>"That's ridiculous," Luther argued.  </p>
<p>"You can't know that for certain," Allison cut in.  </p>
<p>"But why would we need to save Kennedy to save the world?" Vanya asked.  </p>
<p>"Guys," Five called, trying to stop the argument before it could really take off. "You all die," he stressed. "Do you think that's what I wanted to find when I got to 1963? My family about to die. Again. I witnessed Russian nukes about to obliterate the world while all of you were powerless to stop it. Because of us, there's a war that's about to happen. This war is going to mean the end of everything, including us, unless we stop it." </p>
<p>You sighed and sat forward in your seat, resting your elbows on the tops of your thighs and clasping your hands in front of you. "Okay, I'm going to play devil's advocate here," you started. "Diego," you called, barely able to meet his eyes knowing what you were about to say. "Is it possible that saving Kennedy somehow fucks up the timeline and starts World War Three?" </p>
<p>"No," Diego immediately refuted. "No way," he added, throwing you a disappointed look, as if he couldn't believe you wouldn't have his back on the issue.  </p>
<p>"I'm just trying to be practical here," you said, attempting to appeal to him. "You're so set on this idea of saving Kennedy, but what if that's not what's meant to happen?" </p>
<p>"We could save a man's life, Y/N!" </p>
<p>"Or we could save the world!" You pointed out, hating that you were arguing with him when you hadn't even had the time to resolve your relationship problems. Not to mention, Klaus had certainly not done anything to repair the situation between you and Diego. If anything, you now had a lot more to talk about than just the day before.  </p>
<p>"It's not something we have to choose," Diego insisted.  </p>
<p>"It might be! We don't know," you reminded him.  </p>
<p>"Hazel died just to save all of our asses, so I need you two to just shut up for a minute! The end of the world is bigger than whatever little relationship squabble you two are having. I just need everyone to listen to me," Five got out even though his jaw was clenched so tight in annoyance that you were worried he would end up hurting himself. "I don't know if this is all connected. I don't know if there's a reason for everything. But I do know that Dad will," Five acknowledged as he glanced around at the rest of you. "We need to find him and talk to him before it's too late." </p>
<p>Luther took a deep breath before he pushed himself up to stand. "Okay, I'm out," he remarked, before he took off for the stairs.  </p>
<p>"What?" Five blurted, looking affronted by Luther's willingness to already abandon ship. "Did you not hear a word of what I just said?" </p>
<p>"I did," Luther confirmed as he rounded on Five. "You're older than all of us and you still want your daddy to come and fix your problems. I already tried that, Five. And I'm out. I'm not going to see Dad. I'm not going to depend on him for anything again. You got that?" He glanced around at the group before he scoffed. "It's time we all grew the hell up," he muttered before he moved to leave again.  </p>
<p>"Oh, Luther," you sighed, wanting to go after him. You stayed in your seat when you noticed Diego immediately move to stop him.  </p>
<p>Diego froze briefly at the top of the stairs, shooting you a quick look over his shoulder, before he followed Luther down towards the first floor.  </p>
<p>Five rolled his eyes before he blinked out of view, leaving you with Allison, Vanya, and Klaus.  </p>
<p>"Well," Allison sighed as she wearily looked towards the stairs. "That happened." </p>
<p>"Yeah," you managed to reply, not sure what else to say in that moment. When you heard the front door slam closed, you pushed yourself to your feet. You dropped Allison’s newly finished coin into her lap as you passed her on your way towards the balcony railing.  </p>
<p>Luther, Diego, and Five were gone. You weren't really sure what to make of everything that just happened. So much had been unloaded in such a short period of time that you couldn't help but stand there and try to process it all for a moment.  </p>
<p>You were aware of Klaus, Allison, and Vanya all talking behind you, but you weren't really listening to what they were saying. You were worried about Luther and his insistence on not seeing Hargreeves again. You could have happily gone to your grave without seeing the man who had claimed to be your father for even another second, but you knew that Luther had spent years practically idolizing the man. Having Hargreeves cut him down in front of a party full of people had gone a long way towards shattering any illusions Luther might have had about the man, but you knew he was still hurting. You knew he was a long way from healed.  </p>
<p>You also couldn't help but feel for Five. To go from an apocalypse in 2019 to an apocalypse in 1963 within the course of a couple of weeks couldn't have been easy. Add to that the fact that none of you seemed to have your shit together as a group, and you were sure it was incredibly frustrating for him to face the very real reality of the impending doomsday with only a fractured team as backup.  </p>
<p>Most of all, you wanted to reach out to Diego. You didn't want to continue feeling like you were leaving your relationship on a cliffhanger. You wanted to know which way it was going to fall, because either you would take a step back onto solid ground, or you would fall right over to your end. You wanted to talk to him. You knew he had to be upset after hearing about your moment with Klaus. You knew you should hear him out about Lila. You just wanted to know what was going through his head, but you were worried that it would only devolve into another argument. Add in the very real threat of another apocalypse, and you weren't even sure if you would be able to fix anything between the two of you before you were all supposed to die.  </p>
<p>You were startled out of your thoughts by someone putting their hand on your shoulder. You blinked over at Vanya standing at your side.  </p>
<p>"We're all going to get some tacos. Are you in?" </p>
<p>You barely had to think about it before you answered. "I'm in," you assured her with a smile. You held a hand out, calling Diego's knife from where you left it on the couch to your hand, before you tucked it securely into your waistband.  </p>
<p>"So cool," Vanya breathed.  </p>
<p>You couldn't help but laugh at the sense of wonder in her tone before you threw an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go get some food," you told her as you started to lead her towards the stairs.  </p>
<p>Later, as you sat at a table in Odessa's and picked at the remains of a taco, you listened to the others talk about their own relationship problems. You were overtly aware of Diego’s knife still tucked into your waistband, so you finally relented and moved to grab it. You studied it in your hand for a moment before letting it hover in the air in front of you, idly flipping it end over end with your power.  </p>
<p>Shortly after securing your food and arriving at the salon, Vanya had opened up to the three of you about her forbidden love affair with the woman she had been living with on a farm just outside of Dallas. She confided that she wasn't sure what was supposed to happen now, but she had real feelings for Sissy and she loved being there for Sissy and Sissy's son, Harlan. You couldn't help but feel happy for Vanya, especially after everything Leonard had put her through in 2019.  </p>
<p>Now, Allison was playing with Klaus' hair as she vented about her problems with Ray. She was upset about Ray's dismissal of her and how he didn't trust her after he saw her rumor someone in order to save him.  </p>
<p>"But I was just protecting him," she insisted. "He would have died if I didn't step in and do something. You would think he would be grateful that I saved his life, but now he's claiming he doesn't know me? What kind of bullshit is that?" </p>
<p>"So, is the world really going to end in six days?" Vanya had been slowly spinning in one of the salon chairs, but she stopped to look at you, seemingly fascinated by what you were doing with Diego’s knife.  </p>
<p>"Knowing this family? Most likely," you answered.  </p>
<p>"Yeah," Allison sighed as she turned to look at Vanya. "I mean, it did last time, even though we did everything Five could think of to try to stop it." </p>
<p>You heard Klaus laugh as he pushed himself from the salon chair. Your attention snagged on the metal hair clips Allison had used on Klaus and you couldn't help but feel them out with your power.  </p>
<p>"Wouldn't it be weird if Five grew up all hot?" Klaus mused as he moved to sit down at the table with you.  </p>
<p>Allison dropped into the chair Klaus vacated and scrunched her face up in distaste. "Ewwww," she groaned.  </p>
<p>"Oh, ewwww," Klaus mocked as he moved to grab his flask from the table. "I'm surprised that's coming from you, Miss Luther-was-my-lover," he said before he turned to point a finger at you. "And don't even get me started on this one and our darling Diego!" </p>
<p>You smacked his finger out of your face before tugging on one of the clips in his hair with your power. </p>
<p>Klaus hissed before he rubbed at his scalp. "Alright, alright," he relented.  </p>
<p>"Okay, but at least I never kissed Luther." She winced when she glanced to you. "Sorry, Y/N." </p>
<p>"Yeah, but you were just as bad," Klaus argued as he stood, gesturing at Allison with his flask. "You two spent the majority of your teenage years pining away for each other. And I'd like to wager a good amount of your adult years too." He turned to Vanya before leaning slightly forward in her direction. He lowered his voice as if he was confessing a secret to her. "Every breakfast, without fail, those two were making eyes at each other across the table." </p>
<p>Vanya glanced to you, looking momentarily unsure. "Yeah, I wanted to ask about that earlier, but we didn't get the time to discuss it. Aren't we all brothers and sisters, or is there something I'm missing?" </p>
<p>You weren’t even sure how to begin that conversation, so you focused on Diego’s knife. You let it drop into your hand before tucking it back into the waistband of your pants, taking a bit of comfort in its presence at your side. </p>
<p>"Well, technically," Allison started, her voice going higher as she talked, her tone uncertain. </p>
<p>Klaus let out a laugh that was suspiciously close to a giggle. "Technically? Oh, Allison, if you have to use that word to justify yourself, then I'd say you're already fucked." </p>
<p>Vanya and Klaus shared a laugh while you reached out to smack him on the back of the leg.  </p>
<p>"You kissed me just yesterday," you reminded him.  </p>
<p>"Oh yeah," Klaus said on a sigh. "I did do that, didn't I? Alright, well, I guess it all gets confused," he told Vanya before he took a swig from his flask.  </p>
<p>"Okay, but can we just focus?" Allison asked as she reached out to grab a bottle of champagne from the counter behind her. "If we're not going to end up saving the world tonight," she emphasized with a drink from the bottle. "Then can we please try to save my marriage?" </p>
<p>"You're better off asking Dr. Phil," Klaus started as he moved to clumsily refill his flask with a bottle of champagne on the table. "Because no one in this room knows shit about relationships," he finished as he whirled around to point at Vanya. "This one? In some kind of secret love tango with some farmer's wife." </p>
<p>"Sissy," Vanya interjected. </p>
<p>"Although, I'm going to say, it is a huge improvement over her previous love interest, the serial killer." </p>
<p>Vanya's eyes widened as she looked from you to Allison. "Wait, what?" She asked, the expression on her face betraying how disturbed she felt by Klaus' words. </p>
<p>"Later," Allison mouthed at her, shaking her head as if to try to console Vanya that it wasn't a big deal. </p>
<p>"Meanwhile," Klaus continued, as if he hadn't been interrupted. "I'm carrying a torch for a soldier I haven't technically met yet. And this one," he said as he pointed to you, "is being cheated on by our brother." </p>
<p>You grimaced, reaching out to grab the bottle of champagne resting on the table, and pointedly chugged a few mouthfuls. </p>
<p>"Leave her alone, Klaus," Allison said, shaking her head. "What's your point?" </p>
<p>"Alright, alright, my point," Klaus stressed as he waved his flask at Allison. "My point is that the only healthy relationship in the family was when Five was banging that mannequin of his," he finally finished with a flourish.  </p>
<p>You noticed Vanya's perturbed look at Klaus' words.  </p>
<p>"Let's face it, the only thing any one of us who are cursed to be a member of The Umbrella Academy knows about love is how to royally fuck it up," Klaus proclaimed as he raised his flask in the air.  </p>
<p>"Hear, hear," you said, toasting Klaus with the champagne bottle and taking a sip.  </p>
<p>Allison and Vanya both offered a cheers of their own before drinking to his declaration as well. </p>
<p>"So, how do you guys deal with it?" Vanya asked as she shifted forward in her seat.  </p>
<p>"With what?" Allison wondered, glancing to Vanya. </p>
<p>"All of it," Vanya explained. "The time travel and seeing the dead and consecutive apocalypses? Apocalypsi? What's the plural for that?" She scrunched her face up in confusion as she turned to consider the line of beer bottles on the counter behind her.  </p>
<p>"I think you might need to be cut off," you suggested to Vanya.  </p>
<p>"Oh, she's fine," Klaus dismissed. "And to answer your question, Vanny," he said as he turned to look at her. "I get really high, Allison lies to herself, and Y/N?" He mentioned as he nodded towards you. "She waits until she needs to write another book before getting all her feelings out using thinly veiled metaphors and characters that bear a remarkable resemblance to the rest of us."  </p>
<p>"Hey!" You cried, scowling at Klaus.  </p>
<p>"But you, Vanny? You just happen to blow shit up. Like the moon," he offered with a wry laugh.  </p>
<p>"Yeah," Vanya drawled as she frowned down at her hands, likely imagining what it might have been like when she was using her power to wreak havoc on the world. "I'd really like to not do that again." </p>
<p>Klaus moved to sit back down at the table, reaching out to steal the last few bites of one of your tacos. "Well, you've got six days, missy," he pointed out around a mouth full of food. "Shape up or ship out." </p>
<p>Allison sighed as she tipped her head back and considered the ceiling. "What the hell are we even supposed to do with six days?" </p>
<p>"Party," Klaus suggested. "Or something, I don't know," he sighed.  </p>
<p>"You know what?" Vanya spoke up with a hopeful look on her face. "I'm gonna tell Sissy that I love her. I don't want any secrets between us. Not if we only have six more days." </p>
<p>"Yeah," Allison breathed, seeming to reach a conclusion of her own. "And I'm going to be honest with Ray. I just need to tell him about my power and you guys," she said as she gestured at the three of you.  </p>
<p>Klaus groaned as he moved to drink from his flask. "Does this mean I have to go see my cult?" </p>
<p>"Probably," you said as you reached out to pat him on the shoulder. When the others turned to pointedly look at you, you couldn't help but think of Diego. If they were going to fix their problems and relationships before possibly dying a terrible death, then wasn't it on you to do the same? "I think Diego and I need to have a talk. <i>The</i> talk." </p>
<p>Klaus turned to look at you with a bewildered expression on his face. "What? Did Diego not have Grace tell him all about the birds and the bees when we were younger?" </p>
<p>"What? No! Not that talk. It's a talk we've been meaning to have since 2019. A relationship talk to clear the air," you clarified.  </p>
<p>"Yes!" Allison exclaimed as she saluted you with her champagne bottle. "No more secrets." </p>
<p>"This family's amazing," Vanya mused, a tiny, pleased grin on her face as she looked around at the three of you.  </p>
<p>Klaus laughed as he got to his feet. “I wouldn’t go that far, but sure,” he said as he waved Allison over before he threw an arm around her shoulders once she was at his side. He held an arm out towards Vanya while he glanced at you over his shoulder.  </p>
<p>"Come on, Y/N and Vanny. Get in on this action." </p>
<p>You rolled your eyes, but you couldn't quite fight off the amused grin on your face as you moved to join the group hug.  </p>
<p>Vanya was laughing as you joined the group and you couldn't resist the urge to hold onto her just a little bit tighter. She had come such a long way since 2019 and a part of you was incredibly happy for her. Another part of you secretly worried about when Vanya recovered her memories and unleashed years of neglect and trauma on herself. You really hoped you could be there for her when it happened, since you knew it wasn't going to be pretty.  </p>
<p>"Oh! This is one of my favorite songs," Allison said as she turned towards the radio set up on the counter. She moved to turn the sound up before looking back at the three of you, quirking an eyebrow in question as the opening notes of the song filled the air. </p>
<p>It wasn't long before all four of you were dancing around the salon and laughing with each other. You couldn't remember the last time you had felt so carefree and as Klaus moved to spin you around the room, you wished the feeling never had to end.  </p>
<p>By the time Vanya decided to leave and Allison planned to confront Ray, you realized you no longer had an apartment to go back to, and you weren't really sure of your welcome at Elliott's. You also really hoped that Luther had found a safe place to spend his nights.  </p>
<p>"Hey, Klaus?" You called as you followed him out onto the sidewalk in front of Odessa's.  </p>
<p>"Yeah?" He asked as he pushed his sunglasses down to cover his eyes even though it was almost dark outside.  </p>
<p>"Can I crash at yours for the night? I got evicted from my apartment yesterday." </p>
<p>"Of course," he answered as he slung an arm over your shoulders. "It's only fair since you used to let me spend the night at your place all the time back in the future. I’ve got plenty of rooms, so you can pick your favorite," he offered before pressing a kiss to your temple.  </p>
<p>"Thanks, Klaus," you told him, shooting him a grateful smile as you let your power run endlessly over Diego’s knife at your side.  </p>
<p>"Anything for my bestie," Klaus promised, bumping into your side as he led you down the sidewalk.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would be. And I was so nervous about this one, because I had to write so many of them in one scene that I was scared I'd fuck up their voices/characterizations. So, if you enjoyed this, it would mean the world to me if you let me know. And thank you to everyone who has shown this love. Y'all really keep me going. </p>
<p>I borrowed more of the dialogue from the show than I usually like to in order to get where I wanted to go in some of the conversations, but I tried my best to put my own twist on it. I really hope y'all liked this! 💖 And I have some fun plans for 'A Light Supper,' so I'm excited to finally share them with y'all.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Reach Out To Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you to everyone who has shown this love. Y'all don't know how much it means to me. 💖</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When you woke the next morning, it took you a while to remember where you were. Instead of picking a room the night before, Klaus let you crash in his room. Now that his cult was back, they were all endlessly fascinated by Klaus and to an extent, you.  </p>
<p>Within moments of them touching and fawning over Klaus, you started to understand why he would want to run away in the first place. Even just the thought of all of those people closing in around you and effectively trapping you was enough to send a shiver down your spine.  </p>
<p>You found that when the time came to go to sleep, you didn’t want to be separated from Klaus. Especially not when you were in a house full of strangers. Klaus had offered for you to share his bed, but you opted to sleep on a pile of pillows and blankets on his bedroom floor. Oddly enough, it was almost as comfortable as sleeping on Allison's couch. </p>
<p>You groaned as you pushed yourself up so you were sitting. Klaus was still passed out on his bed. He didn’t give even so much as a twitch at the noise you made.  </p>
<p>One look at the windows told you it was nearing mid-morning. You weren't really sure when Klaus would manage to wake up, but you knew you had something you really needed to do before you talked yourself out of it. If you waited for Klaus to join you, then you might lose your nerve, and you really didn’t want that to happen.  </p>
<p>You cleared your throat before glancing around the room. "Hey, uh, Ben?" You had a strong suspicion that he was following Klaus around, but you felt a little ridiculous since you couldn't actually confirm for yourself if he was there or not. "I'm going to head out," you continued, pointing helpfully over your shoulder towards the door. "If you're listening now, can you tell Klaus I went to Elliott's so he doesn't worry?" You took a deep breath, feeling yourself begin to tear up at just the thought of talking to Ben again. "I miss you," you whispered, helpless to do anything else besides offer the words you had wanted to tell him for years.  </p>
<p>You weren't sure why you went silent and still after that, since it wasn't like Ben could reply. But you wished for just a moment that you could hear him again.  </p>
<p>You sighed before you pushed yourself to your feet and moved to leave Klaus' room. </p>
<p>It took some maneuvering, but you managed to evade Klaus' cult for the most part. It helped that some of them were usually wearing a piece of jewelry you could track, so you knew which hallways to avoid.  </p>
<p>You considered calling a cab to come pick you up from the mansion, but you didn't want to have to wait. You settled for stealing one of the cars at the cult's disposal. Or you would have stolen one, if you didn't run into one of the cult members who helpfully handed over a set of keys when they found you perusing the vehicles that belonged to one of the cult's benefactors.  </p>
<p>"Well, that was easy," you muttered to yourself as you slid into the driver's seat. You were starting to understand a little bit of Klaus’ reasoning for going along with the cult for so long if it meant he could literally have almost anything he wanted when he asked for it. </p>
<p>You had to work to take deep breaths on the way to the Elliott's. You weren't even really sure if Diego would be there or how it would go if you did get to talk. You were still hurt. You still felt betrayed. But you missed him so much that without him, it felt like you were hollowed out. Without him in your life, you felt like part of you was broken. You couldn't help but think that you would rather have him in your life with the possibility that the two of you wouldn't survive in a relationship than have to give him up altogether. If it turned out being with him was a mistake, then it was one you were willing to make.  </p>
<p>When you got to Elliott's and walked inside, you could hear the faint sound of voices drifting down from the second floor. You could feel Luther’s coin and Diego’s knives, but you weren’t sure if there was anyone else with them.  </p>
<p>"Hello?" You called towards the balcony, not sure of your welcome.  </p>
<p>"Up here!" You heard Luther yell. </p>
<p>When you got upstairs, it was to find Luther, Diego, and Vanya waiting for you. "Hey," you said, offering them an unsure smile. Luther was working on demolishing a full plate of eggs while Vanya was sitting on the couch and watching Luther and Diego. You couldn't help but let your gaze linger on Diego for a moment, helpless to ignore the tension between the two of you. "What's going on?" </p>
<p>Luther sighed before nodding towards Diego. "Diego thinks we need to go to the dinner. I think it's a bad idea," Luther managed to get out around a mouthful of eggs. </p>
<p>"Dinner? What dinner?" </p>
<p>"Oh, right," Diego said, moving to grab a slip of paper from beside Luther's plate. "Here," he muttered as he handed it over, his fingers brushing against yours.  </p>
<p>You felt your breath hitch at the feeling of having Diego in your space again. For a moment, you wished that it was just the two of you alone, but you knew that whatever was going on had to take precedence for now.  </p>
<p>By the time you read the words on the invitation Diego showed you, you couldn't help but side with Luther.  </p>
<p>"I'm not going," you blurted before reaching forward to drop the invitation back on the table.  </p>
<p>"Thank you!" Luther exclaimed, pointing his fork in your direction and ignoring the eggs that flew to the floor.  </p>
<p>"We have to go," Diego argued.  </p>
<p>"It's a setup," Luther said. "You know what he's like, Diego. You really want to go through that again?" </p>
<p>You moved to sit next to Luther at the table and reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it, big guy. You don't have to go if you don't want to." </p>
<p>Diego cleared his throat, taking a step towards you and Luther. "Well, that's new," he commented. "When the hell did you two get so chummy? Last time I checked, you could barely stand each other." </p>
<p>"We got pretty close when we were both dropped into 1962 with only each other for company," Luther explained.  </p>
<p>"We lived together for almost a year and worked together for months," you offered with a shrug of your shoulders. "What can I say? Luther grew on me." </p>
<p>"Like Klaus grew on you?" Diego asked, quirking an eyebrow at you.  </p>
<p>"What? No!" Luther denied. "What's going on between Y/N and Klaus is..." he trailed off, frowning at you. "Who even knows? But Y/N was there for me when I had no one else." He shot you a small, grateful smile. "I owe her." </p>
<p>"I wouldn't have made it without you," you told Luther. "So, consider us even." </p>
<p>"This is just weird," you heard Diego groan. "You know what? Doesn't matter. And it doesn't matter if this dinner is a setup. We still need to go." </p>
<p>Luther scoffed before he took another bite of eggs. "Says the guy who was stabbed by the man inviting us all for dinner." </p>
<p>"Wait? Hargreeves stabbed you?" You glanced quickly to Diego. You remembered the bandage on his abdomen when you walked in on his moment with Lila. "What the fuck happened?" </p>
<p>"It was nothing," Diego tried to rebuff. "Just a misunderstanding." </p>
<p>"Some misunderstanding," Vanya said, her brows furrowed.  </p>
<p>"Whatever," Diego dismissed. "Me and the old man are gonna have some words. But for that to happen, we have to go to his little dinner party." </p>
<p>Luther rolled his eyes before looking from you to Vanya. "Would you two please talk some sense into him?" </p>
<p>You looked at Diego, noticing the determined expression on his face. You didn't want to see Hargreeves again, but if Diego was this keen on going, then maybe you should go for him.  </p>
<p>"Oh, come on," Luther grumbled, recognizing the expression on your face. "You know just as well as I do why this is a terrible idea." </p>
<p>You winced, not quite meeting his eyes.  </p>
<p>"I think we should go," Vanya cut in, an earnest expression on her face.  </p>
<p>"That's three against one, Luther," Diego pointed out.  </p>
<p>Luther set down his fork and settled Vanya with a serious expression. "Vanya, I know you don't remember what he did to you, but trust me when I say you should hate Dad more than any of us." </p>
<p>Vanya appeared as if Luther's words barely made an impact on her. "He can't really be that bad, can he?" </p>
<p>"Oh yeah," you drawled, reaching out to steal a forkful of eggs from Luther's plate when your stomach growled.  </p>
<p>Luther frowned at you before he turned his attention back to Vanya. "The man treated you worse than any of us, Vanya. He isolated you from the rest of the family." </p>
<p>"He also kept you hopped on pills," Diego offered.  </p>
<p>"And he brainwashed you into thinking you didn't have any powers," Luther continued.  </p>
<p>"Don't forget he used to lock her up," you mumbled, not really wanting Vanya to remember that part.  </p>
<p>"Jesus," Vanya breathed, obviously thrown for a loop. "What is with this guy?" She shook her head, offering all three of you a helpless grin. "Well, I have to meet him now." </p>
<p>Diego shot Luther a smug smirk. "See? Even Vanya is on board." </p>
<p>"This is a bad idea," Luther reiterated. "He's going to get into our heads and make us feel like shit about ourselves. And then he's going to turn us all against each other, so we're yet again a really shitty team. Do you really want that to happen right before we need to save the world?" </p>
<p>"Luther, come on, we're not kids anymore. We're adults. We're grown-ass men," Diego stressed with a look Luther's way. He froze and then looked from you to Vanya. "And women," he helpfully added. At Luther's dejected look, Diego sighed before his expression softened. "We can handle him, Luther. It's different this time, right?" </p>
<p>Luther scoffed, scowling down at his half-finished plate of eggs. "And how do you figure that?" </p>
<p>"You've got me," Diego simply offered. "Well, us," he amended as he gestured towards you and Vanya. "We're going to be a team. A united front. And we won't go in there as our numbers, which is exactly the kind of bullshit the old man pushed on us from birth. We're going to be Team Zero." </p>
<p>Luther glanced to you, obviously not impressed by Diego's reasoning. "Team Zero?" He asked, sounding uncertain.  </p>
<p>"Fuck yes, Team Zero," Diego crowed. "All the way," he added before holding his fist out for Luther to bump.  </p>
<p>When Luther left Diego hanging, you rolled your eyes and bumped your fist against Diego's. He shot you a brief, grateful smile before he turned to Vanya.  </p>
<p>"Vanya?" He called, holding his other fist out to her. When Vanya didn't bother to move from her seat on the couch, Diego sighed. "Seriously?" </p>
<p>When Luther went back to eating his eggs and Vanya picked up a magazine that must have been Elliott's, you found yourself considering Diego. You realized he was watching you already, which somehow made your decision for you. You pushed ourself out of your seat before you approached him.  </p>
<p>"Hey, can we talk?" You asked, not sure if you were ready for whatever was about to happen.  </p>
<p>"Yeah," Diego readily agreed. "I mean, yes," he said, attempting to sound less eager. "I'd like that." </p>
<p>Diego led you downstairs to the first floor. You were glad he didn't think to take you into Elliott's room, since you were sure you wouldn't be able to have any kind of civilized conversation in the room where you caught him kissing Lila.  </p>
<p>By the time you were sitting on a round sofa and turned towards Diego, you weren't really sure what you were supposed to say.  </p>
<p>"So," you started, at a loss for how to continue. </p>
<p>"So," Diego echoed, nodding his head. He looked just as unsure as you felt in that moment.  </p>
<p>You bit your lip, considering him. "The hair is new," you finally offered.  </p>
<p>"Yeah, well, they don't allow scissors in the nuthouse," Diego remarked.  </p>
<p>You reached out to tug on a lock of his hair, grinning when he shoved your hand away.  </p>
<p>“Here,” you started as you reached to grab the knife tucked into your waistband. “This belongs to you. Maybe you can use it to cut your hair.” </p>
<p>“Ha ha,” Diego said while he rolled his eyes. He placed the tips of his fingers to the knife before he shook his head. “Keep it,” he told you. “You might need it.”  </p>
<p>“Thanks,” you mumbled, feeling your face flush as you tucked it under your leg. For Diego to willingly trust you with one of his knives seemed to tell you a lot more about his feelings for you than any actual words he could use.  </p>
<p>When a few more moments passed without anything being said, Diego sighed. "Look, Y/N, I don't know what to say here."  </p>
<p>You shifted forward in your seat, pressing your hands at your sides into the cushion beneath you. "I just want to know why," you finally told him. "Why Lila? Why did you kiss her when you knew you had me?" </p>
<p>"Lila kissed me," Diego tried to correct.  </p>
<p>"But I saw you. You didn't stop her. You looked like you were kissing her back," you accused.  </p>
<p>"I got confused, I guess. She was there and saying all these things and she's just so frustrating," he ranted, shaking his head. "I never wanted to hurt you, Y/N. I'm sorry," he offered, sounding almost uncertain.  </p>
<p>"You shouldn't have kissed her," you told him.  </p>
<p>"You kissed Klaus!" Diego shot back, his brow furrowed.  </p>
<p>"Klaus is my best friend! What is Lila to you?" </p>
<p>"She's just someone who got in my head." He didn't say anything for a moment, staring down at the floor with a disturbed expression on his face. "But I think maybe she was sent to do that. Nothing really adds up about her and Five thinks she’s out to get us.” He glanced back up at you. “I can't trust her.”  </p>
<p>"I don't know if I can trust <i>you</i>," you pointed out. "I've done nothing but trust you with my heart since we were sixteen, Diego, and you've broken it time and again. Do you know how much it hurt for you to turn me away and then have to watch you be with Patch? I spent years knowing it would never be me. And once it seemed like you were finally looking my way and things were beginning to line up for us, everything gets fucked up again. I don't know how we go forward, Diego, when it feels like we're always stuck in the past." </p>
<p>Diego huffed out a shuddering breath before he swallowed. "With Patch," he started, quickly reaching out to wrap his fingers around your wrist when he noticed you clench your hands into fists at your sides. "With Patch, I wasn't so worried about how it might end. I think I always knew it wouldn't work out between me and her and for me, that was okay. I knew I'd be upset, but I would learn to live without our relationship. With you," he said before letting out a helpless laugh. "Y/N, if you left me, it would absolutely destroy me. You're the most important person in my life and when you died, it felt like my world ceased to exist. I felt like there wasn't any point to living the second you stopped breathing in the backseat of that car. My heart stopped beating the moment yours did." </p>
<p>You were sure you meant to laugh and tell Diego he was being cheesy. Instead, what came out of your mouth sounded dangerously close to a sob.  </p>
<p>Diego's hand drifted from your wrist to grasp your hand in his. He laced your fingers together and tugged on your hand until you were turned fully towards him. He brought his other hand up to cup your cheek, his thumb brushing away the tear that slipped down to greet him. "I was scared to give us a chance and I regret that I hurt you. I never wanted to," he said, leaning forward to meet your eyes. "When Lila kissed me, I was a mess. I thought you were dead, Dad had just tried to gut me, and I learned the world was ending all over again. It felt like I had nothing and Lila was offering me <i>something</i>. But then there you were," he whispered, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "And it felt like my world was centered again. I didn't know just how off-kilter everything was until I saw you and suddenly everything was right." </p>
<p>"This isn't fair," you managed to get out, your voice strained from the tears threatening to choke you. "You weren't supposed to make me feel this way." You felt like your heart was breaking all over again, but it didn’t hurt as much as it usually did. It felt like Diego was resetting it and attempting to align the broken pieces so they healed correctly this time.  </p>
<p>"It's all true," he breathed. "I've loved you for a long time now and I'm willing to do what it takes to keep you." </p>
<p>It was then you realized both of you were a lot closer to each other than when the conversation first started. You noticed Diego's eyes drop to glance at your lips before meeting your eyes again. He leaned forward until you could feel his breath against your lips.  </p>
<p>"Uh, I hate to break up whatever this is," Luther interrupted from the foot of the stairs. "But if we're going to go to that dinner, then we should get going." </p>
<p>Diego cleared his throat before he shifted back. "Right," he grunted, shooting you an uncertain look. "Then let's get going," he sighed before he moved to stand, using his hold on your hand to pull you up with him. He disentangled his hand from yours before he moved towards the front door.  </p>
<p>"You okay?" Luther asked, reaching up to put a hand on your shoulder once he was at your side.  </p>
<p>You took a deep breath before hastily brushing away the lingering tears stuck to your cheeks. "I will be," you promised, shooting Luther a small grin. "Thanks, big guy," you told him as you hastily reached down to grab Diego’s knife.  </p>
<p>"Hey, I'm counting on you to back me up if the old man proves to be an asshole." </p>
<p>You couldn't help the laugh that escaped you at Luther's words. "Knowing Hargreeves? That's a given." </p>
<p>When you got to 1624 Magnolia Street, you were starting to doubt the plan. You stood in front of the building, staring up at the 'Southland Life' looming over you in blue neon lights.  </p>
<p>"Come on," Diego coaxed, reaching out to tug on your shirt sleeve. "It can't be that bad, right?" </p>
<p>You shared an unsure look with Luther before you sighed and followed the others into the building.  </p>
<p>It wasn't long before all seven of you were congregated in the elevator. You were standing between Diego and Vanya as you watched the floor numbers light up with each one you passed. You could feel the elevator rising towards the penthouse level, your power sensing the metal that greeted you on every floor.  </p>
<p>It took you a few moments to notice the expression on Luther's face, but when you did, you reached out to nudge him in the side. "Don't you dare," you hissed, recognizing what was about to happen.  </p>
<p>"Sorry," Luther whispered just before an unbearable stench filled the elevator car.  </p>
<p>You noticed the others all rushing to cover their noses, but Diego looked almost amused when you caught his eye.  </p>
<p>"How are you not dying?" Klaus asked when he noticed you looked nearly unaffected.  </p>
<p>"I shared a very tiny apartment with Luther for almost a year. I just learned to live with it," you offered with a shrug of your shoulders.  </p>
<p>Once the elevator stopped and the doors opened, the others all rushed to escape.  </p>
<p>You followed everyone out, taking in the decor you were presented with once you stepped foot onto the floor. You scrunched up your face at the 'Tiki Lounge' sign before moving towards the table in the center of the room. You watched the others disperse around the room, everyone doing their own investigation of the lounge.  </p>
<p>"All right," Five started, turning to watch the rest of the group. "When Dad shows up, let me do the talking. I know what's going on more than any of you and I know what we need to find out." </p>
<p>"Hey, I've got a few questions of my own to ask," Diego refuted, turning to look at Five.  </p>
<p>"That's not a good idea," Five responded. "He's my only clean shot of getting us back home and stopping the end of the world. Don't mess this up for me," Five warned.  </p>
<p>"I want to know why he's going to kill Kennedy," Diego said, turning his back on Five. "This might be the only time I get to talk to the old man before it's supposed to happen." </p>
<p>"We're all going to die, you idiot," Five seethed. "If you fuck this up, then it's one less option we have to save ourselves." </p>
<p>"Hey, maybe this will all go a lot easier if we all take turns talking," Vanya interrupted. You noticed her turn and grab a conch shell from the table behind her. She held it up, waiting for everyone to notice it. "How about you only talk if you have the conch shell in your hand? That way, everyone gets a chance to speak their mind, and no one is talking over each other." </p>
<p>Five sighed and shook his head, already dismissing the idea. "We don't have time for a debate, Vanya." </p>
<p>Allison stepped down into the room before reaching out to take the conch shell from Vanya. "Maybe I should lead the discussion," she suggested as she walked over towards the table. "I'm a better public speaker than all of you. I've had experience with politics and I can use that to talk to Dad," she offered.  </p>
<p>"Daddy's girl," Diego scoffed, rolling his eyes.  </p>
<p>"Oh, are you jealous, Number Two?" Allison asked, shooting Diego a smirk.  </p>
<p>"No more of that numbers bullshit, alright? We decided on it earlier," Diego said, gesturing to you, Luther, and Vanya. "We're Team Zero. We're <i>all</i> Team Zero." </p>
<p>Luther coughed before speaking up. "Uh, Diego, you don't have the conch," he helpfully pointed out.  </p>
<p>Diego growled before snatching the conch shell out of Allison's hand and throwing it against the wall. You watched it smash into several pieces before Diego turned back to look at the group.  </p>
<p>"Classic Number Two," Allison snorted.  </p>
<p>Diego opened his mouth to say something, but it was at that moment that Hargreeves barged through the doors, prompting everyone to turn to look at him. You had been so caught up in the argument happening right before you, that you didn't even realize someone was approaching the room.  </p>
<p>The moment of near-levity seemed to vanish at the sight of the man and as he sat down at the table, you all moved to join.  </p>
<p>Hargreeves waited to speak until you all joined him at the table. "Not only have you burglarized my lab, set my chimp loose, conned your way into the Mexican consulate, repeatedly stalked and attacked me, but you have, on numerous occasions, called me..." he trailed off when Klaus dropped into the seat beside him.  </p>
<p>Klaus took a sip of the drink in his hand before glancing at Hargreeves. "Hey, Pop," he acknowledged. "How's it hangin'?" </p>
<p>"'Dad,'" Hargreeves finally finished.  </p>
<p>Klaus turned to look at you on his other side, waggling his eyebrows. "He hasn't aged a day since 2019, has he?" </p>
<p>You snorted and turned your head to pretend like you were coughing into your sleeve instead.  </p>
<p>"Miss Bowie?" Hargreeves called. "What are you doing among this strange group of misfits?" </p>
<p>It took you a few confusing moments to realize he was talking to you.  </p>
<p>"Oh," you breathed, sharing a quick look with Luther. "I belong here. With them," you clarified. "They're my family," you added. "And my name is Y/N. Not Miss Bowie." </p>
<p>Hargreeves heaved a great sigh, as if you had personally inconvenienced him. "I've done my research on most of you. My reconnaissance tells me that you're not CIA, not KGB, and certainly not MI5, so who are you?" </p>
<p>There was an awkward silence as the rest of you all looked to each other. You weren't really sure what to say or how to explain. You didn't even want to be in the same room as Reginald Hargreeves and yet, here you were, sitting at a table with only Klaus between the two of you.  </p>
<p>Five finally broke the silence. "We're your children," he answered honestly.  </p>
<p>"But in the loosest definition possible," you cut in. You really didn't want to be known as being in any way related to Reginald Hargreeves and you were sure the feeling was entirely mutual.  </p>
<p>Five ignored you and continued to explain. "We've come from the future. You see, in the year 1989, you adopted all of us and trained us with the express purpose of stopping the end of the world. You called us The Umbrella Academy." </p>
<p>Klaus raised his drink, as if toasting to Five's words. You shook your head, shooting Five an incredulous look. He had to know that it sounded like total bullshit. Hargreeves might have been involved in some shady, weird shit, but even you doubted he would just assume Five was telling the truth.  </p>
<p>When you looked back to Hargreeves, it was to see a mildly disbelieving expression on his face.  </p>
<p>"Why on earth would I adopt seven--" </p>
<p>"Eight," Allison corrected. You saw her consider the drink in her hand with a solemn expression before addressing Hargreeves. "One of us isn't here anymore." </p>
<p>"Dead," Diego clarified. "One of us is dead." </p>
<p>You noticed Klaus hiss something over his shoulder. "Yeah, yeah," he groaned. "Ah! Would you let that go? Enough," he barked before turning back towards the rest of the table. When he noticed everyone staring at him, he gestured for the conversation to go on.  </p>
<p>You reached out to pinch Klaus' thigh. He yelped, almost spilling his drink.  </p>
<p>"What the fuck was that for?" He wondered, turning to you with wide, hurt eyes.  </p>
<p>"You know," you told him, nodding over his shoulder towards the space he was talking to just moments before. "<i>You know</i>," you insisted again.  </p>
<p>When you realized that not only Klaus had everyone's consideration this time, but you as well, you waved for everyone to continue.  </p>
<p>"Regardless," Hargreeves started, shooting you and Klaus an unimpressed look. "What, exactly, would possess me to adopt seven ill-mannered malcontents?" </p>
<p>"Well, we all have special abilities," Five explained.  </p>
<p>You noticed Hargreeves' attention spark at the mention of abilities. "Special? In what sense?" </p>
<p>"In the superpower sense," Luther answered, his tone almost begrudging as he glanced to Hargreeves.  </p>
<p>"Interesting," Hargreeves mused. "Call me old-fashioned, but I'm a stickler for a pesky little thing called evidence. Show me," he demanded.  </p>
<p>You heard Allison let out a helpless laugh as she took a sip of her drink. "What is it with everyone wanting to suddenly see our powers now?" </p>
<p>"We're not circus animals," Luther asserted. "We're not going to perform our little tricks for you just because you commanded us to." </p>
<p>You were impressed for a moment that Luther had actually stood up to Hargreeves before Diego suddenly flung one of his knives right at Hargreeves. Hargreeves tipped his head almost imperceptibly to the left so that he was unscathed. You felt your eyes widen, marveling at the rare sight of Diego missing his mark.  </p>
<p>It was at that moment that Hargreeves bent over the notebook he brought with him and began to scribble down something on one of the pages. You felt a cold wash of unease crash over you. It instantly reminded you of all of those moments when he observed you and the others as children and recorded all of his secret notes. You had gone years without feeling like just another experiment to the man, but now you felt like you had regressed to a stage in your life you would have rather left behind.  </p>
<p>"What is that? What are you writing?" Diego asked, leaning forward in his seat as if he would be able to read the words from there.  </p>
<p>"You are zero for two, young man," Hargreeves pointed out, seemingly unbothered when Diego moved to get out of his seat and lunge towards him. Five was quick to blip to the space right in front of Diego, holding him back.  </p>
<p>"Stop," Five urged. "This isn't the time." </p>
<p>"That is interesting," Hargreeves stated, nearly fascinated by Five's power.  </p>
<p>You heard Diego grunt before he reluctantly slid back down into his seat. You reached out to pat him on the knee. When you moved to take your hand back, Diego was quick to grab hold of it. You glanced to him, worried about whatever might be going through his head. He had a stoic expression on his face, but from the tight grip he had on your hand, you knew that he was affected by Hargreeves' dismissiveness.  </p>
<p>"Alright," Five said. "I'll give you a quick introduction before we move on. Luther over there has super strength," Five explained before nodding to Luther. "Klaus can commune with the dead. Allison can rumor anyone to do anything." </p>
<p>"Yeah," Diego snorted. "Except she never uses it," he said.  </p>
<p>Allison shot him a glare before she smirked at him. "I heard a rumor you punched yourself in the face," she said right before she winked at you. You suddenly remembered her remark the day before that Diego needed a good punch in the face for kissing Lila. </p>
<p>Diego's hand quickly dropped yours before making a fist. You attempted to reach out for it, but you weren't quick enough to stop him from punching himself in the nose. You winced at the crack of Diego's knuckles as they made contact with his face.  </p>
<p>"Damn it, Allison!" Diego snarled, the sound muffled behind his hands as he clutched at his face.  </p>
<p>You put your hand back on Diego's thigh, your best attempt at comfort for the moment.  </p>
<p>"Well, what about you, then?" Hargreeves asked as he turned towards you.  </p>
<p>"Sorry, I'm not a performing monkey," you told him. "No offense, Luther," you said before winking at him.  </p>
<p>Luther scowled at you, but he didn't get a chance to reply before Hargreeves turned his attention on Vanya.  </p>
<p>"And you?" He asked Vanya with a raised eyebrow.  </p>
<p>"Oh no," Luther managed to say with a chuckle as he reached out to pat Vanya on the shoulder. "Vanya using her power has never really worked out for any of us." </p>
<p>"Oh, come on," you objected, waving off Luther’s concern. "If she wants to show it off, then let her." </p>
<p>Klaus laughed before he nodded towards Luther. "I'm with Luther on this one. It's not the best idea," he said with a slight slur in his voice.  </p>
<p>"I've got this," Vanya insisted as she reached out to grab the fork resting beside her plate. Everyone except you and Hargreeves seemed horrified at the idea of Vanya using her power again. You heard them all trying to dissuade her as they backed up from the table, but Vanya ignored them all. She hit the fork against her glass and concentrated on the fruit platter in the middle of the table. It wasn't long before her eyes flashed white with her power and the platter exploded, sending bits of fruit flying. "Oops," she simply offered with a pleased smirk on her face at everyone’s outcry.  </p>
<p>"Oh, come on, Vanny," Klaus groaned. "This was my favorite shirt." </p>
<p>"You know what? That was impressive," Luther said before gifting Vanya with a proud grin.  </p>
<p>"Alright, enough of this," Diego interrupted as he stood and turned his focus on Hargreeves. "Look, we know you're involved in a plot to assassinate Kennedy." </p>
<p>Hargreeves sat forward in his chair, gifting Diego with an unruffled stare. "You were recently hospitalized, isn't that correct? If I'm not mistaken, you were suffering from illusions and paranoia revolving around a conspiracy to take the president's life. Am I wrong?" </p>
<p>"Am <i>I</i>?" Diego asked as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a photo. He leaned towards Hargreeves as he held the photo out, waiting for Hargreeves to take it from him. "That's you standing in the exact spot the president's gonna get shot in two days." </p>
<p>You saw Hargreeves briefly consider the photo before his expression smoothed out into one you remembered all too well from your childhood. You knew he was about to cut Diego down. You turned from Hargreeves to Diego as Hargreeves spoke. It didn't matter to you in that moment what Reginald Hargreeves had to say. All that mattered to you was how it was affecting Diego.  </p>
<p>You saw Diego's face fall as he slowly lowered himself back into his seat. The hurt expression on his face would have been enough to get you to act, but the tear that rolled down his cheek and the resurgence of his stutter had you nearly blind with rage.  </p>
<p>"Enough!" You snapped as you hit your fists against the table. You stood from your seat and pointed an accusing finger at Hargreeves. "I've had it with you. It wasn't bad enough we suffered through thirty years of your bullshit, but now we have to sit here and let you insult us? Fuck that. There's no possible way you're actually going to get off your ass, scrap the holier-than-thou attitude, and be of any use. This was a complete waste of our time, because the only thing you've ever successfully done in your lifetime is irrevocably fuck up eight amazing kids." </p>
<p>"Uh, Y/N," Luther called. "You think you might want to chill out?" </p>
<p>It was then you realized that numerous metal items around the room were all trembling. You could feel them all practically waiting for your instruction.  </p>
<p>"No," you spat, your attention still on Hargreeves. "You said you want to see what I can do, <i>Dad</i>? Well, here it is." You were so angry that you barely had to think about it before several metal items flew across the room at your silent command. You even pulled some of the metal filaments in a few of the lights, causing them to burst and further darken the room. Every single piece of metal at your disposal was hovering in the air and aimed right at your target.  </p>
<p>Klaus yelped when the lightbulbs exploded, his eyes going wide as he turned to look up at you in concern.  </p>
<p>The last piece of metal you called was Diego's knife from where it was still lodged in the wall behind Hargreeves' head. You offered Hargreeves a wide, unnerving grin when the knife flew right into your hand. "I'm sure you can pay for the damages to the room," you assured him when you noticed Hargreeves consider the several metal fragments all hovering just inches from his face. "That is if I let you live." </p>
<p>"Y/N, come on," Allison started.  </p>
<p>"No, Diego had it right yesterday," you said, staring down the man who seemed to be the cause of a majority of your problems. "We should kill him." </p>
<p>"Okay, I know I'm drunk, but you're not making any sense," Klaus tried to reason with you as he set his drink down on the table.  </p>
<p>“Y/N, this isn’t going to help our cause,” Five reminded you. You realized he was standing, his hands on the table as if he was poised to launch himself at you if he thought he needed to.  </p>
<p>You weren't even sure you could think past the anger you felt for Hargreeves, but when Diego reached out and placed his hand over your fist, easing his knife from your grip, you suddenly dropped all the metal pieces, ignoring the loud clash of them hitting the table and floor.  </p>
<p>"I suppose that's not terribly useless," Hargreeves conceded.  </p>
<p>You scoffed and pushed yourself away from the table. You didn't bother looking back as you crossed the room towards the doors.  </p>
<p>"Wait, Y/N!" Five called after you. "Where are you going?" </p>
<p>"I'm getting the fuck out of here. This was a waste of time." You glanced at Reginald and offered him a sarcastic salute. "Bye, <i>Dad</i>. I truly and sincerely hope that I never have to see you again." </p>
<p>You didn't bother to listen to the others as they tried to convince you to come back. You were practically shaking with fury as you used your powers to slam open the elevator doors and call it up several stories until it was waiting for you.  </p>
<p>You barely remembered the trip down to the lobby. Your hands were still curled into fists and you were sure your nails were biting deep enough into the skin of your palms to make them bleed.  </p>
<p>You exited the elevator and stormed into the lobby. You were so angry you could practically feel the building shaking around you, your power reaching out to take hold of it. You were sure you were able to sense each and every bit of metal from the steel support beams to a stapler resting on someone's desk several floors above you.  </p>
<p>For one brief, wild moment you were sure you wanted to bring the building down right on top of Hargreeves. You would be rid of the man once again and he would never have to haunt you or the others. If you were lucky, then he wouldn't make it to 1989. He wouldn't adopt you and the others and you would go on to lead a life free of his judgement.  </p>
<p>You were so tempted to go through with it that you didn't even care if killing Hargreeves in such a manner would mean the end of you too. But at the thought of never being introduced to the others, you started to relent. Yes, you knew you hated Reginald Hargreeves with every fiber of your being, and you would never forgive him for the abuse he inflicted on you and the others, but you loved the seven other so-called ill-mannered malcontents he purchased along with you.  </p>
<p>By the time you heard the elevator doors open, you had managed to calm yourself down.  </p>
<p>Diego immediately sought you out the moment he stepped into the lobby. He crossed over to you, an expression on his face you couldn't quite decipher. You were almost sure it was gratitude, though.  </p>
<p>"You had my back back there," he said once he was standing in front of you. "Thank you." </p>
<p>"Team Zero,” you reminded him. “Besides, I'll always have your back," you promised him, leaning forward to press a kiss to his cheek.  </p>
<p>Diego surprised you by turning his head at the last second so your lips brushed against his.  </p>
<p>"Oh," you breathed.  </p>
<p>"Good or bad?" Diego asked, his lips still pressed close to yours.  </p>
<p>"Good," you assured him. </p>
<p>"Good," Diego echoed with a smirk before he kissed you.  </p>
<p>He barely had the opportunity to wrap his arms around your waist and reel you in to press closer against him before Luther ruined the moment.  </p>
<p>"I think this belongs to you," Luther grunted as he dragged Klaus across the floor. Luther dropped his grasp on Klaus' ankle, ignoring Klaus' whine of protest.  </p>
<p>Diego pulled away from you to glare at Luther. "Thanks, man. Really." </p>
<p>"Any time," Luther told Diego before brushing past him with a pat on his shoulder.  </p>
<p>"I'm fine," Klaus groaned from where he was lying on the floor. "I just need to figure out how to stand and then I'm out of here." </p>
<p>You reached down and helped pull Klaus to his feet. "Why don't I take you home?" </p>
<p>"Only if you buy me dinner first," Klaus mumbled, ignoring Diego's annoyed look as he stumbled past him.  </p>
<p>You offered Diego a reassuring smile before you followed after Klaus. "Want to go with us and check out Klaus' mansion?" You asked Diego once you stepped outside, making sure to keep an eye on Klaus as he staggered towards a car you weren't entirely sure belonged to him.  </p>
<p>"I could..." Diego trailed off with a frown on his face. "Actually, I have something I need to do. But I'll meet you at Elliott's after you're done taking care of the drunk?" </p>
<p>"Don't call him that," you immediately scolded. You sighed before you nodded. "Elliott's," you agreed.  </p>
<p>"Elliott's," Diego confirmed before he took off across the parking lot, leaving you to wonder what was so important that it needed his immediate attention.  </p>
<p>"Y/N, come on!" Klaus called as he attempted to open the driver's side door of an unfamiliar car. </p>
<p>You spared Diego one last glance before you took off towards Klaus in the hopes of stopping his unwitting attempt at grand theft auto.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Their relationship is far from fixed, but I wanted them to start to repair everything between them. I've been so nervous about approaching that talk since I finished Somebody to Love, so I hope it was at least somewhat satisfying (but it's not the last talk they'll have). And of course I had to have reader avenging Diego, because he deserved so much better in that moment. And I wanted to start to showcase the scope of reader's powers. </p>
<p>I also kept Reginald's dialogue from the show and added in a few bits of my own.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. We'll Be Comin' Back Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>By the time you were helping Klaus through the front door of his cult-acquired mansion, he seemed as if he had begun to sober up.   </p>
<p>"What's wrong with Prophet?" </p>
<p>You glanced over to see a man standing just inside the foyer and watching as you helped Klaus stumble inside the mansion.  </p>
<p>"I'm fine, Keechie," Klaus moaned, waving off the man's concern. "Just need a little rest and recuperation." </p>
<p>"Well, I can help you, Prophet," Keechie offered as he moved towards Klaus.  </p>
<p>"No! I mean, no," Klaus said before he reached out to wrap an arm around your shoulders and reel you in closer to his side. "This is my designated helper for the night and we're going upstairs to my room. We're not to be disturbed, got it?" Klaus asked as he stared Keechie down, as if daring him to argue.  </p>
<p>"Oh," Keechie breathed in understanding, glancing from Klaus to you and then back again. "I'll tell the others that Prophet is indisposed for the night," Keechie said before winking at you.  </p>
<p>"Wait," you started as you watched Keechie hurry from the room. "Klaus, do they think we're sleeping together?" </p>
<p>"Who cares?" Klaus groaned as he stumbled towards the stairs.  </p>
<p>"I care," you told him as you followed after him. "If Diego finds out, he's really going to try to kill you." </p>
<p>"Well, it's good I have you to protect me, then," Klaus pointed out as he started to climb the stairs. “Are you coming?” He asked over his shoulder, squinting at you for a moment, before he swayed and continued his trek towards the second story. </p>
<p>You sighed before you shadowed him up the stairs.  </p>
<p>When you got to Klaus' room, he immediately staggered over towards his bed and collapsed on top of it.  </p>
<p>"What's going on with you? This seems like more than you just being drunk," you observed.  </p>
<p>"It's Ben," Klaus growled into his pillow. "He committed a gross injustice upon my person," he mumbled after a few moments.  </p>
<p>"What? I barely left the two of you alone back there. What did he have time to do?" </p>
<p>Klaus grumbled something under his breath before he finally sat up to look at you. "He possessed me. Against my will," he stressed as he glared over towards the other side of the room.  </p>
<p>"He can possess you now? How? Why? When did you figure that out?" You knew you were asking way too many questions, but you couldn’t get over the idea of Ben inhabiting and using Klaus’ body as if it was his own.  </p>
<p>"I was having a rough moment yesterday and Ben would not shut up. We had a fight and he got mad and charged me," Klaus explained with a grimace. "He went right through me, but for a second, I got the weirdest feeling." Klaus shivered before he flopped onto his back. "And then he got his panties in a twist because I was ignoring him at Dad's little interrogation dinner earlier and he possessed me. Except it barely worked and gave me the worst hangover," Klaus whimpered as he brought a hand up to his head.  </p>
<p>"That's just..." you trailed off, not sure what to say. If Ben could possess Klaus, then did that mean he could possess other people too? Maybe Klaus didn't have to be the only one to let Ben borrow his body. If Ben could jump into any one of you, then maybe you could have him back for just a little while. Maybe, in a twisted way, it would feel like Ben was alive again.  </p>
<p>It wasn't until you heard Klaus sniffle that you were torn from your thoughts. When you managed to focus on Klaus again, it was to the sight of tears tracking down his face.  </p>
<p>You moved to sit beside him, your hip brushing against his thigh. You reached out to grab his hand, lacing your fingers together.  </p>
<p>"Hey," you whispered, not wanting to startle him. "What's going on? Did Ben possessing you upset you that much?" </p>
<p>"It's Dave," Klaus managed to get out despite the fact his jaw was clenched so hard you could practically hear his teeth grinding. "I fucked up, Y/N," he sighed as he finally looked at you. "I tried to save him, but he's just going to die <i>again</i>, and it's all my fault." </p>
<p>"It is not your fault," you insisted. "You can't control what's going to happen." </p>
<p>"He enlisted early and he's shipping out early because of me. Because I couldn't wait for a better moment to try to get through to him. It's useless. <i>I'm</i> useless," he groaned as he moved to put his arm over his eyes, blocking your view of his helpless expression. </p>
<p>"Klaus, you're not useless. Look at me," you demanded as you reached out to tug on his arm. It took you a moment of fighting Klaus before he finally dropped his arm. "You are not useless. You wanted to save Dave and I know you did your best. That's all anyone can ask of you." </p>
<p>"My best isn't good enough," Klaus growled as he sat up. He took you by the shoulders, his eyes wide and tears still trailing down his cheeks. "I'm going to lose him all over again," Klaus stressed as he leaned in closer to you. "Don't you get that?" </p>
<p>"I get it, Klaus. I'm sorry," you told him, feeling at a loss for anything else to say. You really didn't know what it was like to lose the love of your life over and over again. Sure, you were used to feeling like you were losing Diego to other people, but he was always there. You weren't sure what you would do with the knowledge that you could never truly have him in your life again. Just spending a year without him had nearly broken you. "I'm sorry," you repeated on a whisper. </p>
<p>You watched Klaus' face fall, as if he somehow expected you to have all the answers. As if he thought you could possibly tell him how he was supposed to save Dave. A sob broke free from his mouth before he fell into your arms, his grip on you so tight you couldn't breathe for a moment.  </p>
<p>"What am I gonna do, Y/N? What am I going to do if I can't save him? How can I live without him?" </p>
<p>You bit your lip, not sure how to respond. What could you say that would magically take away Klaus' pain? With a sinking feeling in your gut, you realized there really was nothing that would help. There were no magic words or sage advice that you could offer Klaus in that moment. There were no easy platitudes that would suddenly dissolve Klaus’ grief for what he already suffered through and what was to come.  </p>
<p>"You live for him," you finally sighed into his hair, squeezing your eyes shut when you felt Klaus practically deflate in your arms.  </p>
<p>You stayed with Klaus for a couple of hours. You let him rant and rage about how unfair everything was before he fell apart in your arms all over again. By the time a new day was breaking and Klaus was struggling to stay awake, you decided to finally make the journey back to Elliott's.  </p>
<p>Before you left, while Klaus was mostly passed out on a mountain of pillows, you froze in the doorway of his room.  </p>
<p>"Hey, Ben?" You weren't even sure if he was there or listening. For all you knew, Klaus had to be awake for Ben to be around. "I hope we get to talk one day. And maybe if you can possess Klaus, then you can possess the rest of us. Maybe we'll all be able to talk to you again." You hated the silence that filled the air, knowing that if Ben did hear you, then he wouldn't be able to reply without Klaus. "Just something to think about," you suggested before you left the room.  </p>
<p>You were attempting to leave the mansion unnoticed when a woman stopped you near the front door. "Will the Prophet's special friend be joining us for breakfast?" </p>
<p>"Oh, no," you answered with a wince. "I actually need to be going." You thought you vaguely recognized the woman from the morning before. "You’re the one who got me a car yesterday, right?" </p>
<p>"Right," the woman agreed with a nod. "I'm Jill." </p>
<p>"I’m Y/N," you informed her with a polite smile. "It was nice to meet you," you said as you moved to open the front door. </p>
<p>"You too!" She called after you, a grin on her face as she waved a goodbye.  </p>
<p>When you got back to Elliott's, you were intent on getting upstairs and seeing if Diego was there. Before you could make it to the stairs, you were brought up short by the words 'öga för öga' spelled out in blood across the tiled floor of the showroom. You frowned at the words, a sense of urgency overtaking you to check on the others, before you hurried up the stairs towards the second floor.  </p>
<p>You could feel Luther’s and Five’s coins and Diego’s knives, but that wouldn’t mean much if they were dead. You thought of every worst-case scenario that could befall the three of them as you made it to the second story. Your mind was a slideshow of the possible tragedies that the others could have met in your absence, which prompted you to answer the potential siren call of the pieces of metal you associated with your loved ones.  </p>
<p>You were relieved to find Diego and Luther crowded around the doorway of the bathroom while Five washed off what appeared to be dried blood from his arms.  </p>
<p>"Uh, what the hell is going on? Did Five murder someone? And why did someone leave 'eye for an eye' as a message written in blood downstairs?" </p>
<p>You noticed Luther and Diego share a look. Diego looked chagrined while Luther appeared sheepish.  </p>
<p>"Well, at least one of my siblings has a brain," Five mused as he finished getting dressed. You noticed that Five pointedly ignored your questions as he continued to wash the blood off his skin.   </p>
<p>"Shut up, Five," Diego groaned before he reached out to grab your hand. He pressed a kiss to the back of your hand before he pulled you to stand closer to him. He nodded over towards the second-floor balcony where you caught sight of a sheet draped over a chair. "Elliott's dead." </p>
<p>"What? Who killed him?" </p>
<p>"The Swedes," Five answered, shooting you a look as if he was thinking of retracting his earlier compliment.  </p>
<p>You rolled your eyes, because while it might have been obvious to Five, it wasn't to you. "Who the hell are they?" </p>
<p>"More Temps Commission assassins," Five responded as he checked his reflection in the mirror above the bathroom sink.  </p>
<p>"Fuck," you groaned, glancing back to Elliott's hidden corpse. You were glad you hadn't managed to check under the sheet. "Why would they kill Elliott?" You didn't get to interact with the man much, but he seemed oddly charming and incredibly accommodating for you and the others. You couldn’t imagine any scenario where he posed enough of a threat for a team of time-traveling assassins to think he was a target. Unless he was killed because of his connection to you and the others.  </p>
<p>"Doesn't matter," Five denied. "I've found a way home." </p>
<p>You noticed that got Luther's attention. "What? Why didn't you mention that before?" </p>
<p>"I'm mentioning it now," Five pointed out.  </p>
<p>You took in the blood still streaked across half his face and the faded red splotches on his white shirt. You quirked an eyebrow at him when he met your gaze. "What did you do, Five?" </p>
<p>"That's irrelevant," he dismissed with a wave of his hand. "I made a deal to get us all back to our timeline and I already held up my end of the bargain." </p>
<p>Diego shook his head, his hand still gripping yours. "What about doomsday? We can't just jump to the future when everyone's supposed to die in a few days, Five." </p>
<p>Five shook his head before he straightened his tie. "It won't happen. That's part of the deal." </p>
<p>"And the 2019 apocalypse? Are we going back to the same thing we ran from?" Luther asked as he considered Five.  </p>
<p>"That's been taken into consideration as well. Everything will be back to normal and we can all go back to our normal lives. You happy?" Luther opened his mouth to respond, but Five cut him off. "Now, no more questions," he continued as he walked out of the bathroom, seemingly finally happy with his appearance. "We're running out of time and we're still short a few people. We're going to have to split up if we want to get the others in time." </p>
<p>"Right," Luther agreed with a nod.  </p>
<p>"Luther, you go get Allison. Diego, you and Y/N will go get Klaus," Five directed as he brushed past the three of you.  </p>
<p>You noticed Diego make a face at the mention of Klaus and you shoved your shoulder against his in reprimand. "Be nice," you hissed.  </p>
<p>"I'll go get Vanya," Five finished, ignoring you and Diego. "We only have seventy-seven minutes before our only ticket out of 1963 leaves whether we're ready or not." He walked over towards a table and grabbed two wristwatches. "I've synchronized these so you'll be able to keep track of time," he explained as he handed one to Luther and then one to you.  </p>
<p>You immediately handed yours over to Diego. "I can just use my power to feel what time it is," you pointed out as you felt out the steel in the wristwatch. "It's better if Diego holds onto it." </p>
<p>"Your call," Five muttered as he turned away.  </p>
<p>"Okay, let's do this," Luther said.  </p>
<p>"Wait!" Diego called, a scowl on his face. He pulled his hand from yours and approached Five. "You show up looking like a serial killer straight out of a horror movie and you expect us to just fall in line with your insane plan? You really expect us to believe that everything's going to be normal once we land back in 2019? That everything's going to be normal here once we leave?" </p>
<p>"We don’t belong here, Diego. Elliott just got killed because of us," Five emphasized with a gesture towards the chair that still held Elliott's body.  </p>
<p>"And what are we doing about it? We're running," Diego remarked. "We should be tracking these Swedes down and killing them ourselves," he said as he pulled one of his knives out and showed it to Five. "We found this knife in Elliott’s gut. Those Swedes made this personal." </p>
<p>You frowned down at the knife in Diego’s hand and pulled it towards yourself using your power. You inspected it, flipping it over as if it would hold any answers for you. "How did they get one of your knives?" </p>
<p>Five snorted as he turned to consider Diego. "How do you think? Lila," Five answered with a smirk as he watched Diego. "She's my old boss' daughter. She's a Temps Commission goon who was sent here to use Diego to get to me." </p>
<p>"No," Diego scoffed with a shake of his head. "No way. She was up to something, but it wasn't <i>that</i>." </p>
<p>"Face it, Diego. You were the fall guy. It probably would have worked a lot better if Y/N hadn't shown up and thrown a wrench into their plans to get you to fall in love with Lila." Five rolled his eyes at the disturbed expression on Diego's face. "Why do I have to spell everything out for you? She doesn't give a shit about you, Diego. She never did. She never will." </p>
<p>You heard Diego take a deep, shuddering breath as his hands clenched into fists at his sides. You tentatively reached out to take his hand again, reminding him that you were there. You knew that Lila and Diego still shared some kind of connection, but as far as you knew, it wasn’t romantic to him. Diego had told you Lila messed with his head and from the look on his face, it seemed he didn't want to believe the extent of her manipulation. He looked as if he didn't want to consider the possibility that he had fallen for it.  </p>
<p>"Then forget about Lila," Diego finally sneered. "What about Dad? What about JFK?" </p>
<p>"What <i>about</i> JFK? He's going to die just like he's supposed to and Dad is Dad. Like Y/N said last night, he's not going to help us," Five argued.  </p>
<p>"No, he's in on the assassination. We can still stop him," Diego refuted with a shake of his head. His grip on your hand was tightening by the second and you knew he was moments away from blowing up at Five.  </p>
<p>Five groaned before he turned away from Diego with a roll of his eyes. When Diego stepped forward to stop him from leaving, his hand slipping from your grasp, Five blinked out of sight before reappearing right in front of Diego.  </p>
<p>He pointed an accusing finger in Diego's face as he leaned in closer towards him. "If you don't do this, I'll kill you myself. Got it?" Five turned and disappeared before anyone could say anything else.  </p>
<p>"I hate it when he does that," Diego growled as he turned to look at you and Luther.  </p>
<p>"He's a murderous psycho, but he's our psycho," Luther helpfully commented. He sighed and clapped a hand to Diego's shoulder. "Women, though. Am I right?" </p>
<p>"Excuse me?" You asked, turning a glare on Luther.  </p>
<p>"Well, I mean," Luther faltered when he got a look at your expression. "It's just because Lila totally femme fatale-d him, right?" </p>
<p>"Not now, Luther," Diego groaned as he moved to start strapping the watch onto his wrist. "Let's just go get the others."  </p>
<p>Halfway to Klaus' mansion, you couldn't help but break the silence between you and Diego.  </p>
<p>"Are you okay?" </p>
<p>"What? Yeah," Diego hurried to assure you. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" </p>
<p>You sighed and reached out to tug on his arm, waiting until he focused on you. "Despite how much I might hate it, Lila meant something to you. It can't be easy learning that someone you thought was your friend was actually duping you this whole time." </p>
<p>Diego glowered at you for a moment before he smoothed out his expression. "It doesn't matter, okay? Let's just grab Klaus and get the fuck back to that alley before Five gets pissed off again and slaughters us all." </p>
<p>You sighed before you tugged on his arm again. "Hey," you whispered before you pulled him in for a kiss.  </p>
<p>You felt Diego practically melt into you as his hands came up to frame your face. When you moved to pull away, he shook his head. "No, just a little longer," he mumbled against your lips before he reeled you in for a second kiss.  </p>
<p>By the time you pulled away from each other, Diego seemed more at ease.  </p>
<p>"Better?" You couldn't help but ask him.  </p>
<p>"Better," he confirmed with a nod of his head. “Now, let’s go get the cult leader.” </p>
<p>When you finally managed to locate Klaus, it was to the sight of Jill in his lap and doing her best to make out with him in the middle of the mansion's lawn.  </p>
<p>"Uh, okay," you muttered as you approached. "Can't say I'm surprised, but well..." you trailed off with a grimace.  </p>
<p>The awkwardness of the moment was only made worse when you heard Jill refer to Klaus as 'Daddy.' </p>
<p>Diego chuckled before he reached forward to nudge Klaus' shoulder. "Hey, <i>Daddy</i>. You got a second for us?" </p>
<p>Klaus tore himself away from Jill to look up at you and Diego in awe. "Diego! Y/N!" He looked so elated to see the both of you that you couldn't help but wonder if there was something wrong with him. Klaus had just seen you that morning and Diego the night before. It wasn’t like your presence in his life was still a novelty after being apart for so long.  </p>
<p>"Yeah, it's us," Diego acknowledged before he grabbed Klaus' arm and pulled him free of Jill's grasp. "Come on, Klaus. We have to go." </p>
<p>"Oh, right," he muttered before he hastily got to his feet with Diego’s guidance. "I'll be right back," he promised Jill as Diego started to lead him away.  </p>
<p>"Okay, sure," Jill readily agreed. She offered you a confused grin and a wave. "Hi, Y/N!" </p>
<p>"Hey, Jill," you greeted before rushing to catch up with Diego and Klaus.  </p>
<p>"Where are we going?" Klaus asked as he stumbled after Diego.  </p>
<p>"Five found us a way home," Diego explained as he kept walking, glancing over his shoulder briefly to make sure you were still with them. “We’ve got to go meet him before we’re stranded in 1963.” </p>
<p>You heard Klaus giggle as he swayed closer towards Diego. You frowned at him, his odd behavior confirming for you that something really was going on with him.  </p>
<p>"It's so great to talk to you, Diego. And you, Y/N!" He called over his shoulder as he let Diego continue to lead him away.  </p>
<p>You were studying Klaus carefully as Diego reeled him in closer by his hold on Klaus' arm and hissed something at him. They both came to a stop, allowing you to catch up.  </p>
<p>"Are you high, Klaus?" Diego accused, his brows furrowed as he considered Klaus.  </p>
<p>"No," Klaus confided as he leaned in closer towards Diego. "I'm not Klaus. I'm Ben," he confessed.  </p>
<p>"Holy shit," you breathed, feeling your eyes widen as Ben turned a grin on you. Now that you knew what to look for, you suddenly realized that it was such a Ben expression. You felt tears well in your eyes as Ben moved to pull you into a hug.  </p>
<p>"Okay, so you are high," Diego said as he stepped towards you and Ben.  </p>
<p>You weren't even really sure what to feel or think or do as you kept your arms wrapped tight around Ben in Klaus' body. You never thought you would get the opportunity to speak to him again let alone hug him.  </p>
<p>"It's so good to talk to you again, Y/N," Ben whispered in your ear. "And Dad was wrong, you know? My death wasn't your fault. It wasn't on any of you. I know Dad made you think that. I know he made all of you think that, but you seemed to take it to heart the most. I don't blame you," he continued to murmur so low that you knew Diego wouldn’t be able to hear. “I’ve wanted to tell you that for years.”  </p>
<p>You felt a sob escape your throat at his words. It felt as if a weight you didn't realize you had been carrying for years was finally lifted from your shoulders. You remembered when Hargreeves had berated you just days before Ben's death and told you that if you couldn't master your powers, then you would end up getting someone you loved killed. When Ben died and Hargreeves seemed to rest the blame squarely on the team's shoulders at his funeral, you couldn't help but feel like it really had been your fault.  </p>
<p>"We don't have time for whatever this is," Diego insisted as he reached out to pull you away from Ben. "And what the hell did you say to her to make her cry, Klaus?" </p>
<p>Ben rolled his eyes, sharing a commiserating look with you, before he turned his attention on Diego. "Look, I can prove it, okay? Ask me something only Ben would know. I mean, only <i>I</i> would know," he corrected himself. </p>
<p>Diego sighed and shook his head. "Fine,” he conceded as he turned to fully consider Ben. “When we were younger, what did you reprogram Allison's Teddy Ruxpin to say?" </p>
<p>Klaus' lips stretched in a grin that was so reminiscent of Ben that you felt your breath hitch at the sight of it.  </p>
<p>"Luther sniffs Dad's underwear," Ben sang with a satisfied smirk.  </p>
<p>"Oh, fuck," Diego gasped before he pulled Ben into a quick hug. He pulled away to look at Ben, his eyes seemingly searching for any trace of his lost brother. "Klaus said you didn't make it to Dallas with us, though," he pointed out.  </p>
<p>"Klaus says a lot of things," Ben dismissed with a shrug of his shoulders. "But I can possess him now and it's freakin' awesome," he crowed with a grin.  </p>
<p>You remembered Klaus telling you about Ben's brief possession of him the night before. "But wait," you interrupted with a frown. "What is this doing to Klaus? He could barely walk last night after you tried to possess him." </p>
<p>"Oh," Diego breathed, his eyes going wide in understanding. "That's what happened to him last night." </p>
<p>"He <i>let me</i> possess him this time," Ben informed you as he glanced at you. "He gave me his permission." </p>
<p>"But for how long? And did he know you'd be making out with Jill while you took his body for a ride?" </p>
<p>"Y/N," Diego cut in as he shook his head. "We have Ben back for now. Can't we just enjoy the moment?" </p>
<p>"Yeah, Y/N," Ben mocked as he tilted his head to the side. "Enjoy the moment," he echoed as he reached out to pull you into his hug with Diego.  </p>
<p>You sighed and rested your head on his shoulder. "Sorry," you grumbled as you felt him pull you in even closer to his side and press a kiss to the crown of your head. "I'm just worried about Klaus." </p>
<p>"You're always worried about Klaus," Diego pointed out as he pulled away from you and Ben. "But we don't have time for this right now. Ben can tell us all about how Klaus is doing on the way back to 2019, okay?" </p>
<p>"Wait, wait, wait," Ben attempted to stall as Diego reached out to grab his arm and lead him back up towards the house. "What about Destiny's Children? We can't just leave them. Klaus should be the one to tell them--" </p>
<p>"No, we need you to stay in this body, okay? We need someone responsible behind the wheel," Diego stressed as he turned to look at Ben.  </p>
<p>"That's not fair to Klaus," you protested with a scowl. "Shouldn't he get a say in what you do to his body?" </p>
<p>"It's not forever," Diego told you before he started walking back towards the mansion. "Just until we get back to the future and know for sure that Ben came along for the ride." </p>
<p>You really didn't like the idea of Klaus being suppressed by Ben, but you were also so thankful to have a little bit of Ben back. You only hated the price of being able to talk to him again.  </p>
<p>"What if you possess me?" You asked Ben as you turned to look at him. "Just to give Klaus a break." </p>
<p>"No, Y/N," Diego argued as he stopped just at the foot of the stairs leading up to the house. "We don't need you suffering through some kind of ghostly hangover as well." </p>
<p>"I just need like ten minutes," Ben begged as he looked from you to Diego. "Ten minutes and then we'll meet up with Five and get back to 2019. Then I'll let go of Klaus," he said as he glanced to you, his eyes wide and pleading.  </p>
<p>Diego groaned before he glanced back down at the watch wrapped around his wrist. "There's actually something I want to do first. Y/N knows where we're meeting up and I'll see you both there in thirty minutes, okay? Don't be late," he stressed as he looked from Ben to you. </p>
<p>"Where are you going? I can go with you," you offered, already reaching forward to try to stop him from leaving you. </p>
<p>"I have to do this, okay?" Diego insisted as he stepped towards you. He framed your face in his hands before he pulled you in for a brief kiss. "Get them to that alley and I'll see you there in half an hour." </p>
<p>"You better be there," you told him with a worried frown. "I'm not leaving without you." </p>
<p>"I know you won't," Diego confirmed with a kiss to your forehead. He pulled away from you and reached out to put a hand on Ben's shoulder. "Good to see you, brother," he said before he turned to leave you and Ben.  </p>
<p>"You too," Ben called after Diego. He glanced to you before he abruptly clutched his head. "Oh, no," he moaned before he took off up the stairs.  </p>
<p>"Ben! Wait!" You yelled as you hurried after him.  </p>
<p>You followed Ben as he stumbled through the house, grunting and moaning as he made gestures you didn't fully understand. Every few steps, he would freeze and groan, before continuing his journey towards the front of the house.  </p>
<p>"What's going on?" You asked as you followed Ben towards the front door. Ben quickly took a corner and you momentarily lost him, but you followed the feeling of Klaus' coin and the ridiculous belt buckle he was wearing. You found him softly hitting his head against the wall of the foyer, a grimace on his face. "What the fuck is happening, Ben?" </p>
<p>"It's Klaus," Ben gasped as he tore himself away from the wall. "He wants me out." </p>
<p>"Then maybe you should let Klaus go," you suggested with a frown. "You're hurting him," you pointed out as Ben stumbled out the front door and took off across the gravel driveway. You were quick to trail after him, not wanting to let him out of your sight.  </p>
<p>"Prophet! Where are you going?" You heard someone call from the doorway.  </p>
<p>“Damn it, Keechie," Ben hissed as he glanced over his shoulder. He turned to address Keechie, an impatient expression on his face. "Uh, quick vision quest," Ben offered with a forced smile. "I'll be back in a few years." </p>
<p>"Wait," Keechie objected as he took the stairs down to the ground. "Who will bless the pool waters?" </p>
<p>"Bless the pool waters?" You incredulously asked as you turned to look at Ben. "What the hell went on here?" </p>
<p>Ben waved you off as he took a few steps towards Keechie. "Just wait here a moment," he directed you before he moved to confront Keechie.  </p>
<p>You watched Ben seemingly do his best to reassure Keechie. You knew you were running out of time and while you wanted to remind Ben that the clock was ticking down until you had to be back at the alley to meet the others, you realized that there wasn’t much you could say while he was still talking to Keechie.  </p>
<p>Ben finally moved to meet you, but was brought up short by Keechie yet again.  </p>
<p>"Any last words of wisdom before you leave us, Prophet?" </p>
<p>Ben groaned before he turned back to Keechie. He sputtered for a moment, obviously searching for something to say that would sound like Klaus. "Oh my God," he finally settled on as he backed up towards you. "We're back again. Brothers, sisters, everybody sing!" He exclaimed as he threw his arms in the air. "We're gonna bring you the flavor! We're gonna show you how," he finished before he turned and grabbed your arm. "Let's get the hell out of here," he muttered as he tugged you away from the driveway.  </p>
<p>"Backstreet Boys?" You couldn't help but question as you let Ben lead you off the property.  </p>
<p>"It's all I had, okay?" Ben defended with a shake of his head. "Besides, it worked, didn't it?" He pointed out with a smirk before he gasped and dropped his hold on your arm. He put his hands to his head and grabbed handfuls of Klaus' hair. "I need more time," he insisted before he took off, leaving you to jog to catch up to him.  </p>
<p>You stayed just a few steps behind Klaus and Ben as they seemed to fight for control of Klaus' body. You weren't even sure what was going on half the time, since you could only see part of the fight, but you made sure to steer them in the right direction when they started to get off track.  </p>
<p>By the time you got to the alley, you were beginning to worry about Klaus again. He seemed distressed and even though you wished you could help him, you knew there wasn't much you could do about Ben possessing him until he was forced to give up his hold on Klaus.  </p>
<p>"We made it!" Ben called from the mouth of the alley as he staggered towards where Luther and Five were waiting.  </p>
<p>"All three of us," you added as you moved to join Five and Luther.  </p>
<p>"What do you mean three? I don't see Diego," Five pointed out as he glanced pointedly at the deserted alley behind you.  </p>
<p>You opened your mouth to try to explain the whole possession fiasco while trying to push down your worry for Diego when you heard Klaus groan from behind you. You turned just in time to see him throw up an impressive amount of vomit before he collapsed onto the ground.  </p>
<p>"Fuck," you hissed as you moved to kneel at his side. "Klaus? Or Ben? Which one of you is in there?" </p>
<p>"I can't believe this," Luther groaned as he turned and punched the dumpster beside him. "I mean, <i>you're</i> here," he continued as he gestured at Klaus. "But not any of the others." </p>
<p>"There's only eight minutes left," Five stressed as he began to pace from one side of the alley to the other. "Where the hell are they?" </p>
<p>"You know," Klaus mused as he squinted up at you. "I just had the strangest dream." </p>
<p>You grimaced before you brushed Klaus' hair off his forehead. "What do you remember?" </p>
<p>Klaus flinched before he moaned and brought his hands up to his head. "Something about a sex swing?" He offered with a confused tilt of his head. </p>
<p>"Yeah, I think you're remembering the wrong thing," you sighed as you frowned down at him. </p>
<p>You were aware of Luther silently freaking out and Five angrily pacing behind you. You tried to keep your focus on making sure Klaus was okay, because otherwise you would be worrying about Diego. Where the hell was he? You should have never let him go off without you. You should have insisted he bring you on whatever errand he had in mind, because now you were stuck with the overwhelming feeling that he was somehow in trouble.  </p>
<p>Even though Diego was dominating most of your concern, you were also worried about Allison and Vanya. Were they okay? Why weren't they there with the rest of you? Did something happen to them? </p>
<p>"We've got a minute left," you heard Luther say as he checked his wristwatch. </p>
<p>"Are we going somewhere?" Klaus asked you with a confused frown.  </p>
<p>"It was a simple task! It was a simple task," Five stressed as he continued to pace and angrily mutter about how he couldn't trust you all with even the smallest of duties. "What does it say when even the monkey makes it here and not the rest of them?" Five asked as he gestured towards Luther. "All we had to do was be here," he insisted as he shook his head. "Did we have to fight a giant sea monster? No! An army of mutants? Nein! No bad guys and no firefights. Just had to be at a certain place at a certain time and could they even do that? Of course not!" Five shouted as he flung his arms out, frustration clear in his tone and expression. </p>
<p>"I can't believe this," Luther muttered as he watched the seconds tick down on his watch.  </p>
<p>"It was handed to us on a silver fuckin' platter," Five remarked with a scowl. "It was so easy and yet somehow half the team still managed to screw it up!" </p>
<p>"Listen, could you moan a little softer?" Klaus asked as he squeezed his eyes closed with a grimace of pain. "My head is killing me," he whined as he reached out blindly to grab your hand. He brought your hand to his head and then opened his eyes to grace you with a pleading expression. "Give me a scalp massage," he softly requested before he poked his lower lip out in a pout.  </p>
<p>You groaned and rolled your eyes, but still dutifully began to rhythmically work your fingers across his head in an effort to relieve some of his pain.  </p>
<p>"No, <i>you</i> listen, you useless puke bag," Five hissed as he whirled around to glare at Klaus. "We just blew our only damn chance to save the world." </p>
<p>It was at that moment the briefcase that had been resting on the ground began to let out a soft whine.  </p>
<p>Five winced before his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Damn it," he cursed as he moved to grab the handle of the briefcase.  </p>
<p>"Shit," Luther breathed as he watched Five throw the briefcase up into the air.  </p>
<p>The briefcase disappeared in a flash of blue light, effectively marooning all of you in the 60s yet again.  </p>
<p>"We were that close to going home," Five lamented with a disbelieving frown. "That close," he repeated with a sigh.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I've had a really bad week and it seems like it's about to get worse, so I definitely appreciate the patience. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this and show it love. Y'all keep me going. 💖</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. All In Love With Dyin'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You were still staring up at where the briefcase had disappeared when you were broken out of your shock by Klaus whimpering as he pushed himself up onto his elbows.  </p>
<p>"Well, what the hell are we supposed to do now?" Luther asked Five as he considered Five with a worried frown on his face.  </p>
<p>Five scoffed before he started pacing. "Now <i>we</i> do nothing," Five insisted as he faced the alley wall, putting his back to the rest of you. You noticed his hands were shaking and his shoulders were drawn tight with barely suppressed rage. "Make your peace with God, Luther, because we're all about to meet Him." </p>
<p>You glanced at Luther to see he was furrowing his eyebrows. He looked just as lost as Five seemed to feel in that moment. "But what about the others? What about Allison and Vanya?" </p>
<p>"Those two? Screw them both. They both should have been here. It's on them that we're not all back in 2019 right now," Five hissed as he turned to finally consider Luther.  </p>
<p>"Come on, Five," you started, not sure how to get him to calm down. He was well and truly pissed and while you knew you weren't really the subject of his ire, you knew deep down that the others must be in some kind of danger. “We don’t even know if they’re okay,” you reminded him.  </p>
<p>"What about Diego?" Klaus questioned as he struggled to sit up. He glanced to you, as if reading your worry for Diego in your expression. "He wouldn't abandon Y/N unless he had a really good reason. He would have been here," Klaus pointed out.  </p>
<p>You heard Five growl something under his breath before he kicked at an empty cardboard box discarded behind the dumpster Luther was leaning against.  </p>
<p>"Well, something must've happened to them," Luther reasoned as he glanced from you to Five. "Allison promised she would be here. She should've been here," he stressed to Five.  </p>
<p>"Screw Diego, alright? And screw Allison and Vanya too! Screw all of them and the three of you," Five yelled as he whirled around to glare at Luther and then you and Klaus where you were both still sitting on the ground. "None of you seem capable of handling even the simplest of instructions. Especially when it means it's going to save all of us and the world! You're all too busy worrying about shit that doesn't really matter and I'm sick of dealing with all of you. I was better off on my own in the apocalypse," he finished with a sneer as he seemed to try and fail to contain his frustration.  </p>
<p>"Five, come on," Luther started with a frown. "Just try to be reasonable about this." </p>
<p>"Reasonable? Reasonable, Luther? I'm the only one with any fucking reason in this whole damn family," Five growled at Luther before he shook his head. "You know what? It's every sibling for himself now. How 'bout that?" He asked with a wide, frenzied grin on his face before he stormed off towards the back door to Elliott's.  </p>
<p>Klaus dropped his head into his hands and moaned. "Did Five just get meaner?" He questioned before he chanced a glance at you, as if you could possibly begin to explain Five's most recent tirade.  </p>
<p>Luther sighed before he glanced towards the back door to Elliott's. You moved to get to your feet, intent on going after Five, but Luther held a hand up to stall you.  </p>
<p>"I've got Five," he assured you. He nodded over towards Klaus. "Besides, I know you'll want to stay with him." </p>
<p>You glanced back to see Klaus trying and failing to stand. "I'll swing by Allison's and see if she's okay since you've got Five,” you offered with a sigh, feeling your shoulders slump in defeat. "I don't even know where Diego or Vanya could be right now. He was supposed to be here. He knew I wouldn't leave without him." </p>
<p>"They're okay, Y/N. <i>He's</i> okay. It's all going to be okay. You'll see," Luther promised as he reached out to pat you on the shoulder. "I've got the old man if you've got <i>that</i>," he said before he gestured at Klaus. </p>
<p>"Yeah, I've got him," you murmured. You couldn't seem to stop your thoughts from cycling through everything that could have happened to Diego since you last saw him. Where the hell was he? </p>
<p>Luther seemed to realize you were more upset than you were letting on, since you didn't immediately jump to Klaus' defense.  </p>
<p>"Hey, we've got this," he whispered before he pulled you in for a hug. "I want you to be careful." </p>
<p>"You too," you mumbled into his shoulder. "You've got to try to calm Five down after all," you reminded him with a wry smirk. </p>
<p>You heard Luther bark out a surprised laugh before he pulled away from you. "Yeah, I'm in trouble, aren't I?" </p>
<p>"Just a little," you conceded with a chuckle.  </p>
<p>"You go get Allison and I'll wrangle Five. Diego and Vanya will eventually show up here and we'll all figure out what to do next," Luther concluded with a nod. "It's all going to work out. You'll see." </p>
<p>"I hope you're right," you said as you reached out to pat him on the shoulder. You took a few steps away from Luther, watching him turn to follow after Five. "And Luther? Thanks," you told him with a sincere smile.  </p>
<p>"Any time," he promised with a nod in your direction. "Just make sure she's okay for me?" </p>
<p>"Any time," you echoed with a grin before you turned and walked over to Klaus. You reached down to help him to his feet, stumbling when he knocked right into you.  </p>
<p>By the time Klaus was somewhat steady on his feet, Luther was gone.  </p>
<p>"And you," Klaus snarled as he pointed towards an empty spot you presumed held Ben. "You have had your possession privileges revoked," he told him before he began to limp down the alley. You moved to follow him, shaking your head as Klaus yelled over his shoulder. "Just stay out of me! Back off, mister!" </p>
<p>You managed to steer Klaus in the direction of Allison's house. By the time Klaus was knocking on her front door, the sun had already set, and you were seconds away from nervously chewing on your nails in the hopes it would distract you for even a second from worrying about Diego.  </p>
<p>The door opened enough that you could see a man cautiously peering out at you and Klaus.  </p>
<p>"Hey, Ray-Ray," Klaus practically cooed as he smiled at the man. "I'm sorry it's late, but we were just looking for--" </p>
<p>"Klaus," Ray interrupted with a shake of his head. "Now is not a good time. I’m going to have to ask you and your friend to leave." </p>
<p>"Oh, I'm sorry," Klaus sighed before he caught sight of Allison just over Ray's shoulder. He shouldered past Ray, barging inside the house, and ignoring Ray's noise of protest.  </p>
<p>Ray shot you a helpless, confused look, and you offered him a smile. "You must be Allison's husband," you told him as you held your hand out for him to shake. "I'm Y/N." </p>
<p>"Let me guess," Ray started as he graciously shook your hand. "You're related to Allison too." When you nodded your head in answer, Ray grimaced. "You Hargreeves are really comin' out of the woodwork lately." </p>
<p>"Yeah," you agreed with a wince. You couldn't imagine how weird this must be for Ray. After meeting Klaus and Luther, you were sure he was starting to get tired of having members of the Hargreeves family drop right into his life unannounced. "Sorry about all of this," you added as you glanced over to see that Klaus had pulled Allison into a hug and was softly talking to her. "Can I come in?"  </p>
<p>Ray considered you for a moment before stepping aside and waving you inside the home. You noticed he glanced around outside before carefully shutting and locking the front door. He offered you an uncertain smile before he moved into the living room. "You're the only normal one in the family besides Allison, aren't you?" Ray asked as he glanced quickly to Klaus.  </p>
<p>"Oh," you heard Klaus muse before he began to roll up his sleeves. "Oh, I see. It's gonna be one of those kind of nights, huh? So, are we burnin' or buryin'?" </p>
<p>Ray quirked an eyebrow at you, as if to reenforce his point, and you couldn't help but laugh. It was then you caught the underlying disturbed expression on his face as he turned towards the couch and when you glanced over, you finally noticed the body propped up on Allison's couch.  </p>
<p>"Oh shit," you gasped before you took a few steps closer to the body. "What the hell happened?" </p>
<p>Allison sighed before she shook her head. "Help me move him and I'll tell you," she promised as she took a few hesitant steps towards the dead man.  </p>
<p>“Alright,” you readily agreed, knowing that you weren’t going anywhere until you were sure Allison was really okay. The man seemed to have had his right eye gouged out and by the troubled look on Allison’s face, you were sure it was her doing.  </p>
<p>Over the next half hour, you helped Allison and Ray roll up the body in the rug that previously took up space in front of the couch. It definitely wasn’t what you thought you would be doing with your night, but you were glad you could be there to help Allison and Ray. There was a tension between them that seemed to betray the amount of stress the events of the night had put on them. From what Allison confessed to you, you weren’t all that surprised.  </p>
<p>As you worked, you were aware of Klaus softly talking to Ben on the couch. You couldn't make out what they were saying, but you assumed from the tone of his voice, that Klaus had somewhat forgiven Ben for his transgressions during their foray into possession.  </p>
<p>You told Allison what happened in the alley as you finished securing the body inside the rug. "Five was pissed, but what else is new? And Luther went after him to try to calm him down." </p>
<p>Allison snorted, the corners of her lips quirking up in a reluctant smile. "Think he'll survive?" </p>
<p>"Knowing Five? Odds aren't so great in Luther's favor," you answered with a shrug.  </p>
<p>"It's late, babe," Ray pointed out as he moved to Allison's side. "What are we going to do with this guy?" </p>
<p>You bit your lip as you considered the body. "Do you have a shovel?" </p>
<p>"What?" Ray asked, turning to you with his brows furrowed, clearly caught off-guard. He looked as if he was reevaluating his assumption that you were anything approaching normal compared to the other members of the Hargreeves family.  </p>
<p>"Y/N, no," Allison sighed. "It's too risky." </p>
<p>"Look, it's dark out," you pointed out as you nodded towards the window. "We can keep this guy in here until I'm done. But it'll go a lot faster if you just let me do this by myself." </p>
<p>Allison frowned before she finally seemed to realize you were right.  </p>
<p>"Uh, I'm still in favor of burning," Klaus offered as he raised his hand. "Leaves less evidence that way." </p>
<p>"I'll make sure to dig as deep as I can," you told him before looking back to Allison, silently asking her permission. It was the house she shared with Ray, after all. You weren't so sure either one of them would take too kindly to you digging a grave in their backyard.  </p>
<p>Allison shared a quick look with Ray, silently communicating with him for a moment, before she nodded her head. "There's a shed out back. I can show you." </p>
<p>"I think I've got it," you assured her with a smile. "But I'll let you know if I need anything." </p>
<p>You ignored the sound of Klaus softly calling your name as you made your way towards the back of the house.  </p>
<p>You didn't really want to talk to anyone. If you stayed behind, then you would only give away how worried you were for Diego. Allison was fine, thankfully. You weren't sure what was going on with Vanya or where she was, but you could only hope she was delayed from meeting you and the others because of something mundane.  </p>
<p>You despised the gut instinct that told you she was in trouble. You also really couldn't stand the overwhelming certainty crowding your mind that told you Diego was in trouble as well.  </p>
<p>You wanted to ignore the anxious thoughts plaguing you, so you knew you needed a project. That was why you were standing in Allison's backyard in the middle of the night and holding your hand out towards the shed situated near the back fence. You used your power to easily pull open the padlock and feel out the shovel where it was propped up against the wall next to a set of tools.  </p>
<p>You pulled the shovel out and set it to digging a grave using your power. You had your arms crossed as you watched the shovel rhythmically working itself into the ground over and over again. It was almost soothing to you as you reached further into the soil with your power, seeking out any metal that might be present, since you didn’t want to hit anything that might be important or cause any problems.  </p>
<p>You tried to make your mind clear itself of anything that would stress you out. You weren't going to think about Vanya and how vulnerable she was without the full grasp of her memories. You weren't going to even consider the fact that Diego might be dead or dying somewhere you wouldn't be able to reach him in time. You weren't going to entertain the idea that something could have happened to either one of them. You were just going to stand here with your eyes closed while you dug a grave for a man who had tried to kill Allison and most likely killed Elliott.  </p>
<p>With your power so deeply rooted into the ground, your thoughts turned to something Hargreeves used to tell you. You frowned to yourself, thinking over his many reprimands about wasted potential, before you decided now was as good a time as any to put his words to the test.  </p>
<p>You figured trying to harness your power in a new way would prove to be a sufficient distraction and if it turned out that the end really was coming your way, then you wanted to be ready for it.  </p>
<p>You pushed down deeper into the earth, feeling out all the bits and pieces of metal you could feel. You realized that if you wanted, you could totally uproot everything. There was so much more metal than you had ever cared to feel just beneath your feet. You hated to think that Hargreeves was always right for telling you to focus on something else besides what was immediately in front of you, but you had to begrudgingly admit that he was actually onto something.  </p>
<p>You knew that you could pull metal towards yourself, but Diego had spent many training sessions when you were younger guiding you into learning how to push metal away as well. If you could pull up the metal in the earth, just right beneath your feet, then you reasoned that you could also learn to push yourself away from it.  </p>
<p>You halted the shovel's movements and let it drop uselessly to the ground. As you poured more of your power and concentration into your task, you could feel yourself beginning to respond to the connection you felt far below your feet.  </p>
<p>You weren't sure how long you stayed in the backyard by yourself, but by the time it felt like you could feel out each and every piece of metal in the neighborhood, you felt like your whole body was humming along with a tune only you could hear. You felt as if you could reach out and touch every single piece of metal in the neighborhood, the city, even the world without taking a step and it felt so <i>good</i>. </p>
<p>There was an inexplicable euphoric rush pouring through you that you almost wished would never end. You felt almost as if you could do anything. There was a surge of power crashing over you unlike anything you had experienced before. You were sure for just a few moments that you were one and the same with the earth, so in tune with her frequency that you felt like you could practically hear her metallic core practically whispering to you.  </p>
<p>"Holy shit, are you levitating?" Klaus asked, awe clear in his voice.  </p>
<p>Your concentration broke and the earth’s song abruptly cut away. You collided hard into the ground with a thud, not able to catch yourself in time so you landed painfully on your back. "Ow," you groaned as you blinked up at the sky. It was considerably lighter than the last time you noticed it.  </p>
<p>"I could only do that with Ben's help and he was less than gracious about it," Klaus continued to muse as he reached forward to help you to your feet. "What were you doing out here? You look like you're high right now and I'd know," he confided with a wink.  </p>
<p>It took you a few moments to get your mind back on track. You closed your eyes, took a deep breath, and then forced yourself to focus on Klaus. "It was something dumb Hargreeves used to tell me when I was younger. He was convinced that I could somehow turn the earth with my power." </p>
<p>Klaus let out a disbelieving laugh before he slung an arm around your shoulders. "Yeah? Well, if anyone's stubborn enough to try it, it's you," he joked as he reached out to brush his finger over the tip of your nose.  </p>
<p>You glared at him before you shook your head. "I don't think I'll ever manage <i>that</i>, but I thought it might be nice to try something new. If we're all supposed to die in a few days, then I want to do whatever I can to stop it." </p>
<p>"Huh," Klaus breathed before he pushed himself away from you. "Then by all means, Miss Magnet. Do your worst." </p>
<p>You shot him an unimpressed look before you took a few more steps away from Klaus. You closed your eyes, attempting to get back the earlier feeling of connection you enjoyed just moments before. It was harder to concentrate knowing that Klaus was watching you, but you wanted to figure it out. If you could learn to hover, then could you learn to fly? If you could learn to fly, then could you figure out how to tap into people in the same way you were doing to the earth? If you could learn how to feel out every bit and piece of someone that called to you, then what could you really learn how to do to them when the time came for it? </p>
<p>"Shit, Y/N, your nose is bleeding," Klaus pointed out as you felt him rushing towards you.  </p>
<p>"Don't," you snapped, holding your arm out to stall him. You concentrated hard on the feeling of the metal beneath your feet and finally felt yourself begin to lift off from the ground. You were certain you were close to at least successfully hovering a few inches from the ground when you heard Allison shouting, prompting you to drop back down.  </p>
<p>Your eyes snapped open when you realized that there was something new that you could sense calling to your power from inside the house.  </p>
<p>"Diego," you muttered before you rushed towards the backdoor.  </p>
<p>"Y/N! Wait!" Klaus exclaimed before he followed you.  </p>
<p>You hurried into the house until you came to a stop in the living room. "Diego!" You called as you caught sight of him. You completely ignored the presence of a strange man standing near Diego as you threw yourself at him. You felt Diego's arms wrap around you as you pressed yourself close to him.  </p>
<p>"Was that blood?" Diego asked as he pulled away from you. He wiped at the spot just under your nose, his fingers coming away smeared red. "What the hell, Y/N?" </p>
<p>"I'm fine," you insisted, waving his concern off as you started checking him over for injuries. "What the hell happened to you? Where did you go? Why didn't you meet us yesterday?" </p>
<p>You saw Diego wince before he glanced hurriedly away from you. You weren't really sure how you knew, but from the way Diego was purposefully avoiding your gaze, you knew there was only one person who could be to blame for his recent absence in your life.  </p>
<p>"Lila," you growled as you felt your hands clench into fists.  </p>
<p>You heard the strange man gasp behind you. "Wow, the others aren't going to believe this," you heard him rave. "I'm in the same room as Number Two, Three, Four, and Eight! We almost have an Umbrella straight flush here." </p>
<p>"Hey, hey," Diego soothed as he ignored the other man babbling away about what an incredible opportunity he had been gifted. Diego wrapped his hands around your wrists. "It's okay. I got away, right? She took me by surprise, but I'm not going to let that happen again. So, can you please calm down?" </p>
<p>It was at that moment that you realized you could hear the clattering noise of all the metal items in the room responding to your power. You forced yourself to slowly unclench your fists, but your jaw was still clamped down tight in anger. "I'm going to kill her," you swore as you forced your power to recede.  </p>
<p>"We don't have time to worry about her right now," Diego stressed as he glanced towards the others in the room. He noticed Ray watching the both of you in confusion.  </p>
<p>"Uh, Ray," Allison started, gesturing towards Diego. "This is my other brother, Diego." </p>
<p>Diego carefully pulled himself out of your hold before squeezing your hand briefly as he passed you. He offered his hand out for Ray to shake as Diego took the few steps over towards him. "Hey, man, sorry to crash in here like this." </p>
<p>Ray looked like he wasn't quite sure what to do anymore as he hesitantly shook Diego's hand. He shot a startled look over at Allison, as if seeking assurance, before he offered Diego a cautious nod.  </p>
<p>"Uh, am I the only one wondering who the hell this guy is or...?" Klaus trailed off, glancing from you to the others before looking at the stranger still wearing an excited grin as he clutched a briefcase.  </p>
<p>"Is that a Commission briefcase?" You couldn't help but wonder as you took a step closer to the man. You hastily reached up to wipe away any stray traces of blood beneath your nose when you noticed the man’s startled look upon noticing your approach.  </p>
<p>"This is Herb and that <i>is</i> a Commission briefcase. He worked with Five at the Commission," Diego answered as he stepped closer to you.  </p>
<p>"So, how did you end up with him at the Commission? What were you doing there?" You asked Diego as you kept your gaze trained on the briefcase and Herb.  </p>
<p>Diego reached out to put a hand on your shoulder as he moved to stand at your side. "Lila wanted me to meet her mother," Diego confessed with an apologetic tone. "She’s convinced we're a thing." </p>
<p>"What?" You bit out as you turned to face him.  </p>
<p>"I obviously don't agree with her," Diego rushed to assure you with a grimace. "But once I realized where I was and what the Commission did, what they can <i>do</i>, I had to take advantage of that. Herb here helped me get back here once we figured out what was really going on." </p>
<p>"Sorry, but Commission? What's a Commission?" Klaus interrupted, a confused frown on his face as he looked from Herb to Diego.  </p>
<p>"We monitor and maintain the time-space continuum," Herb spoke up as he turned to face Klaus.  </p>
<p>"Okay," Klaus drawled, clearly not ready to believe Herb.  </p>
<p>"No, for real," Diego told Klaus. "I was just there and it was <i>awesome</i>. Herb helped me get a look at the timeline to figure out how it gets all screwed up and I know what causes doomsday." He glanced around at the rest of you, visibly steeling himself, before he continued. "It's Vanya. She’s what causes World War Three." </p>
<p>"What? How?" Allison asked with dismay drawing her features tight.  </p>
<p>"Something's going to cause her to blow up the federal building at Dealey Plaza just as the president's passing through in less than one hour," Diego explained as he nodded towards Herb. "Herb can back me up on this, because he saw it too. We've gotta find her and stop her now before it happens." </p>
<p>"Wait," Allison cut in, holding her hand up. "Are you saying Vanya's the one who kills the president?" </p>
<p>You couldn't imagine Vanya killing anyone, even after watching her blow up the moon. She seemed so happy and settled lately, so what the hell happened to her since the last time you saw her? You couldn't help but consider every kind of worst-case scenario in which Vanya was being hurt or tortured. Vanya wouldn't snap without good reason and you feared that it had something to do with her regaining her memories. Would she hate you the next time you saw her? Would she want to kill you along with everyone else for failing to help her yet again? Were you always destined to let Vanya suffer alone? </p>
<p>"Hey," Klaus whispered as he sidled up to you. "You're starting to rival Vanya for cataclysmic freakouts and you're also freaking out Ray. You might wanna tone it down." </p>
<p>You blinked over at him, finally realizing there was a ringing in your ears. It took you a few moments to realize that your power had instinctively reached out to wrap around every piece of metal around you. You weren't really sure what had caused the several looks of concern aimed your way, but you figured it was for good reason.  </p>
<p>"I've got her," Diego remarked as he shooed Klaus away. "You go stand over there," he added as he nodded towards the other side of the living room.  </p>
<p>Klaus groaned before he rolled his eyes. "I kiss your girlfriend once and suddenly I can't be trusted to be anywhere near her," he muttered as he dutifully shuffled back a few steps.  </p>
<p>Diego shot Klaus a glare before he reached out and put his hands on your shoulders. He turned you to face him, his eyes meeting yours as he silently implored you to calm down. "We're going to go find her and save her," Diego promised as he squeezed your shoulders. "Are you with me?" </p>
<p>You shot him a rueful grin before you leaned forward to brush your lips against his. "Always," you swore before you tipped forward until your forehead was resting against his shoulder.  </p>
<p>You felt Diego's arms come up around you before he pressed a kiss to just behind your ear. You felt lighter for a moment wrapped up in his embrace. It felt like you were finally settled as his warmth seeped into you, chasing away the chill you didn't even realize was haunting you until that moment. You shivered and did your best to burrow further into his hold, taking comfort in every part of him you could feel against you.  </p>
<p>"Vanya doesn't kill the president," Diego finally continued, his voice practically reverberating through you with how tightly you were pressed against him. "The explosion she causes prompts the motorcade to drive off. Kennedy lives and everybody assumes Russia is behind it, including Kennedy. He strikes back, they strike back, and before you know it, it's raining nukes. That's the nuclear doomsday Five saw that kills us all." You felt Diego's arms pull you in impossibly closer for a moment and you knew that he was taking solace in having you there as much as you were in knowing he was back with you again.  </p>
<p>"Okay," Allison faltered, obviously not knowing what to say when faced with the inevitable destruction about to rain down on all of you yet again.  </p>
<p>"Holy shit," Klaus breathed in surprise. “So, it really is Vanya again after all.”  </p>
<p>You remembered Klaus assuming Vanya was the cause of the apocalypse that followed you all to the 60s, but instead of sounding smug for calling it, he just sounded distraught.  </p>
<p>"Ray? Ray, baby," Allison soothed as she moved towards her husband.  </p>
<p>You managed to catch sight of Ray visibly freaking out before Allison ushered him away. You saw her attempting to calm him down before Diego brought your focus back to him by trailing his hands down your back. "Are you okay?" He asked as he pulled back a little to get a glimpse of your expression.  </p>
<p>"I don't know," you answered honestly. "Am I supposed to be? When Lila can just drop in and take you from me and Vanya's about to unknowingly cause another apocalypse?" </p>
<p>"Lila is not going to take me away from you," Diego swore as he attempted to get you to look at him. "She doesn't have me, alright? You do," Diego stressed as he ducked his head and finally caught your gaze. "Nothing's going to tear us apart, because I'm not gonna let it. Not Lila and not even death." </p>
<p>"Uh, guys? I hate to break up whatever's going on here, but if Vanya really is about to blow up, then shouldn't we be on our way to stop her?" Klaus interjected with an apologetic tone.  </p>
<p>"Damn it, Klaus," Diego groaned before he pressed his forehead to yours. "I hate to admit it, but he's right," Diego whispered to you.  </p>
<p>"It happens more often than you'd think," you confided to Diego with a smirk.  </p>
<p>"I heard that!" Klaus cried from across the room. "So, are we going or...?" </p>
<p>"We're going," Allison confirmed with a sigh. You noticed her glance back at Ray before she moved to join Klaus near the front door.  </p>
<p>"That's our cue," Diego sighed before he held a hand out to you. You noticed the brief smile flash across his face when you immediately laced your fingers through his. He used his hold on your hand to tug you over towards the door. He glanced back to nod at Herb before moving to follow Allison and Klaus out of the house.  </p>
<p>You couldn't remember much of the trip to the federal building. You were so anxious at just the thought that you would be too late to save Vanya that you couldn't quite focus on anything except the feeling of Diego's hand clutching yours. Having him right at your side felt like the best kind of anchor, keeping you from feeling like you were going to float off and be lost forever in your worry.  </p>
<p>You tried not to feel like you were about to fly apart as you followed the others into the federal building. You couldn't help but sense out the elevator with your power as you stepped inside, taking comfort in the fact that you could feel Klaus' and Allison's coins inside the tiny space with you. Diego's knives were practically calling to you, prompting you to run your power over them and the one you still kept tucked close to your side.  </p>
<p>"I hope we find Vanya in time," Allison said, breaking the tense silence between the four of you.  </p>
<p>You were holding out a bit of hope that you would be able to get to Vanya before the building came down on all of you when the lights began to flicker. You glanced up towards the ceiling of the elevator, hoping it was just a fluke, before you were proven wrong when you heard a rumbling noise. The elevator jerked, making an alarming creaking noise as it struggled to keep its upward movement.  </p>
<p>You noticed the others glance to you, as if silently asking if you had control of the situation. You nodded in answer, keeping your power focused on the elevator in case it failed to continue or dropped.   </p>
<p>When the elevator reached the top floor, you had to use your power to nudge the doors open when they wanted to stick. Klaus braved looking out into the hallway first, but it was Allison who managed to leave before the rest of you could even try.  </p>
<p>There were bursts and waves of energy lighting up the hallway, conclusively proving to you that you were all a little too late to prevent Vanya’s outburst. The power filling the hallway was so potent you felt like you could hardly breathe for a moment. Vanya’s power was so contradictorily destructive compared to her usual gentle nature that you didn’t want to believe that she was the source.  </p>
<p>You watched as Diego manage to cross the hallway, ducking behind a desk next to Allison, before he waved for you and Klaus to join them.  </p>
<p>"You go," you directed Klaus as you pressed a hand to the middle of his back, urging him forward. "I've got you," you promised as you used your power to take hold of his belt buckle in case you needed to help him.  </p>
<p>Klaus looked like he wanted to argue, but seemingly decided against it. He took a deep breath and dove forward. He missed the mark, struggling against Vanya's power as he attempted to reach Allison and Diego. You used your power to help keep him from sliding farther away from the pair as they reached out to pull him behind their barricade.  </p>
<p>By the time Klaus had his back pressed up against the desk beside Allison and Diego, you were worried that you wouldn't be able to make it. You could feel the elevator practically trembling, as if it wanted to fall, and you had to reach out with your power to keep it steady.  </p>
<p>"Y/N, come on!" Diego yelled, reaching a hand out to you.  </p>
<p>You took a deep breath before you launched yourself out of the elevator, the tips of your fingers brushing against Diego's before you were propelled away by Vanya's power. "Shit," you hissed as you used the metal in the framework of the building below you to stop yourself from moving in the wrong direction. You used the beacon of Diego's knives in front of you to guide you forward as you struggled towards the others.  </p>
<p>Diego managed to wrap his hand around yours once you were in range and pulled you towards himself. You collapsed against him, feeling him breathe out a sigh of relief once you were back in his arms.  </p>
<p>"Question, guys?" Klaus shouted as he considered the rest of you. "Who exactly are we trying to save Vanya from right now?" </p>
<p>"FBI!" All three of you yelled at the same time.  </p>
<p>"But if they're all sucking ceiling,” he emphasized with a nod towards the shriveled corpse pressed against the ceiling, “then why the hell hasn't she stopped?" Klaus pointed out as he gestured towards the chaos Vanya was still causing in the hallway and throughout the building.  </p>
<p>By the looks on Allison's and Diego's faces, you knew they were thinking the same thing as you. </p>
<p>You had no idea.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The last few weeks have been rough, so thank you to everyone for your patience and kind words. Y'all are the best. 💖</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. We Got a Love That's Bigger Than World War Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I had the worst time with this chapter, so thank you to everyone for their patience! I hope you enjoy. 💖</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Vanya's power continued to light up the hallway in bursts of blue and white. You felt like it was getting harder to breathe or think the longer you were subject to it. There was an itch just under your skin that warned you to run as far away as you could before you fell victim to Vanya, but you knew you would never leave her or the others when they were in trouble. It was easy to push away your instinctive fear when you knew the fate of your loved ones was at stake.  </p>
<p>Diego's arms were wrapped around your waist, as if he wanted to make sure you weren't going anywhere. Klaus was steadily taking sips from the flask still clutched tight in his hand while Allison looked like she was moments away from hitting her head against the desk behind her out of frustration.  </p>
<p>"Okay," Diego cut in as he leaned forward. "Vanya is in the room at the end of the hall. We just have to figure out how to get to her and stop her." </p>
<p>Allison snorted, rolling her eyes. "And how do you propose we get to her? She's going to blow us all away before we can even reach the door. How do we help her without getting killed?" </p>
<p>Diego huffed out a frustrated breath before he shook his head. "I haven't exactly got that one figured out yet. But it's our only option at this point, right?" He asked as he glanced from the others and then to you, silently asking you to back him up with a tilt of his head.  </p>
<p>"Yeah, well," you heard Klaus muse as he considered the flask in his hand. "You can count me out." </p>
<p>"Klaus!" Allison protested, shooting him an unimpressed look.  </p>
<p>"What? You guys should go and save her. I'll stay here and be <i>lookout</i>," he stressed before he took another sip from his flask. "You three are great at all that hero shit and saving the day and rah rah," he exclaimed as he threw his hands in the air. "You know I'm not going to help." </p>
<p>"Klaus," Allison groaned before reaching out to hit him. “That’s such bullshit and you know it.” </p>
<p>"Remember back in 2019? You saved us when we were all getting shot at in the Icarus," you reminded Klaus, sitting forward to nudge his knee since it was the closest part of him you could reach. "You saved us then and you can help save us now. You're not useless, Klaus." </p>
<p>"No," he denied with a shake of his head. "I am, alright? If you remember that night, then you know it was Ben who saved the day and got to be a big hero. It had nothing to do with me." </p>
<p>"Klaus, that was <i>you</i>," you stressed as you met his eyes. “Ben couldn’t manifest without you. We needed you and your power as much as we needed Ben that night.” </p>
<p>Klaus grimaced and glanced away. "Listen, Vanya would understand, because she has realistic expectations of what I am. And what I am is sexy trash," he insisted as he glanced back at the three of you, silently imploring you all to agree with him.  </p>
<p>Diego groaned before he sat forward to get a better look at Klaus. "No, Klaus, what you are is a huge coward. Vanya is in trouble, the world is about to burn, we're all going to die, and you just want to hide out here? How well is that gonna work out for you when we're all dead soon?" </p>
<p>"Guys," Allison interjected with a sigh. "Now is <i>not</i> the time, okay? Other shit going on," she reminded both of them with a raised eyebrow.  </p>
<p>"I'm a coward because I don't wanna die?" Klaus asked Diego, completely ignoring Allison's reprimand. "Who does? News flash, Diego, martyrs aren't around to join the victory party because they're <i>dead</i>. I've been dead before and it was awful, alright? Just ask Y/N!" </p>
<p>You frowned at Klaus, hating how distraught he was. You glanced to Allison and then Diego. Both of them looked unsure of how to respond to Klaus’ words, which you took as your cue to jump into action. Nothing would happen if you all sat there hiding behind a desk instead of attempting to get to Vanya.  </p>
<p>"Klaus is right," you mused as you twisted out of Diego’s hold. “But no one is going to die, because we’re going to stop Vanya before she explodes again,” you pointed out before you turned and attempted to crawl in the direction of the end of the hallway.  </p>
<p>"Wait," Diego objected as he reached out to stop you. "What are you doing?" </p>
<p>"I have the best chance out of all of us," you noted as you started reaching out towards the metal in the hallway with your power. "I should go first," you argued as you started forming a shield to protect you from the worst of Vanya's power.  </p>
<p>"Y/N, if you die again--" Klaus cut in, his eyes wide as he looked at you.  </p>
<p>"I know, but it's Vanya," you conceded with a shrug of your shoulders. “I have to do <i>something</i>.” </p>
<p>"What? What happens if you die again?" Diego asked, worry in his tone as he pressed his fingers to your jaw, urging you to look at him. “I should be the one to go first,” he objected with a shake of his head. He moved to pull you back to him, but you held your ground. </p>
<p>"Just trust me, okay? You have to trust me," you pleaded before you kissed him.  </p>
<p>You felt Diego's arms come up around you, holding onto you for just a moment, before he reluctantly let you slip from his grasp. "I trust you," he assured you with a worried grimace as he pulled away to look at you. "But I don't want to lose you. Not again." </p>
<p>"You won’t," you told him, hoping it was more of a promise and not a lie. You brushed another quick kiss against his lips before you rolled away from him. You felt his fingers trail along your side as you moved farther away from him, as if he had to keep touching you for as long as he possibly could.  </p>
<p>You had pulled enough metal together to form a barrier between you and Vanya's power. The shield you created was long enough to almost cover your whole body, but you could still feel the torrent of hits from Vanya's power as it collided with the metal. It felt like there was a ringing in your head as you pushed as much of your strength into lunging forward. As you slowly pushed yourself to your feet, you struggled not to let Vanya's power get the best of you. You could feel it crashing against your shield in waves and pulses, forcing you to slip a little farther back with each passing moment. It felt like every step you took only forced you to slide back and lose all your progress.  </p>
<p>"Fuck," you hissed when a particularly strong blast threatened to make you lose your footing. As you felt Vanya's power start to overpower you, you knew you weren't going to make it. You weren't prepared for the constant buffeting against your shield and you were aware that you were quickly losing the fight. Vanya’s rage and pain could be felt with every moment you spent struggling against her. It was nearly unlike anything you had ever felt before and you found it hard to believe that all of this destruction was coming from Vanya again.  </p>
<p>You knew that every moment fighting Vanya's power was draining you. You felt dangerously close to passing out, so you knew you had to do something to give the others a fighting chance. You used all the strength you had left to drive the shield down into the floor, forcing it through the tile and rooting it in the middle of the hallway. You hoped that it would at least help the others get a little farther than you managed to, because you were going to have to tap out.  </p>
<p>"Y/N!" You heard Diego yell as you finally lost your grip.  </p>
<p>You felt weightless for a moment as Vanya's power swept you off your feet. You saw a flash of blinding white light before your head hit the desk the others were still using as a barricade.  </p>
<p>The last thing you heard was Diego frantically calling your name before your vision darkened and your eyes slipped closed.  </p>
<p>You felt like you were floating for a few alarming moments, your body rocked by unseen waves, before you forced yourself to open your eyes.  </p>
<p>There was a harsh light shining in your eyes and the faint sound of violin music drifting through the air. It looked as if there was a blue tint to everything, lending an unreal quality to your vision that had you wondering if you hit your head a little <i>too</i> hard.  </p>
<p>You brought a hand up, trying to shield your eyes from the light still pouring down on you. You weren't sure where it was coming from, but it was setting off a pounding agony just right behind your eyes. You groaned as you forced yourself to sit up, taking in your surroundings for the first time since you woke up.  </p>
<p>You assumed you were still in the federal building at Dealey Plaza. You thought when you opened your eyes, it would be to the sight of the hallway lit up by flashes of Vanya's power. Or, better yet, to the sight of Vanya completely fine while the others celebrated the fact that the federal building was in one piece.  </p>
<p>You weren't expecting to wake up on the floor of the foyer in the Academy.  </p>
<p>You glanced around, taking in the home you thought you would never see again. Vanya had destroyed the place back in 2019, but here it was right in front of you. It didn’t look like the Academy you visited when you first got to 1962 in an effort to infiltrate Hargreeves’ inner circle. It looked so much like the home you remembered from your childhood that you felt your breath hitch at the sight.  </p>
<p>The mansion didn’t hold a great deal of nostalgia for you. There were many aspects of your childhood you would just as soon forget, but seeing the familiar walls and decor after spending so much time lost in the 60s made you feel like you really were home again.  </p>
<p>You struggled to stand up, your hands beginning to shake as you brushed your fingers against the table in the foyer. You remembered it getting destroyed during the fight with Luther and Hazel. Why was it perfectly fine now? One glimpse of the chandelier hanging above you, perfectly intact, had you feeling even more disoriented. What was really going on? </p>
<p>You followed the hints of violin music into the living room. The sound was muffled before, but once you crossed the threshold into the room, it seemed as if it was blaring in stereo all around you. You winced and moved to cover your ears, but you were drawn short by the sight of the portrait over the fireplace.  </p>
<p>You had spent years being greeted with the sight of Number Five as you stepped into the living room, but now he wasn’t there.  </p>
<p>In Five's previous place of honor and memoriam was a portrait of Ben.  </p>
<p>“What the hell?” You questioned as you took a few steps closer to get a better look at the portrait. Your steps produced a wet, smacking sound, as if you stepped in a puddle of water. When you glanced down, you were shocked by the sight of blood spattered on the floor.  </p>
<p>It left a lurid, shocking trail that you were helpless to follow. It led you right to Allison's body just behind the bar.  </p>
<p>You felt your breath leave you in a rush as you dropped down to your knees beside her body.  </p>
<p>"Allison? Allison!" You tried to wake her up, but she wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing. She wasn't <i>alive</i>.  </p>
<p>You stared down at her body, not wanting to believe your eyes. When you were knocked out, Allison had been fine. She was still safe behind the desk, tucked carefully away from the worst of Vanya’s power. So, why was she lying here with blood rapidly spreading out beneath her eerily still body?   </p>
<p>"<i>You'll all die.</i>" </p>
<p>You looked up, searching for the source of the voice, but you didn't see anyone. The words echoed all around you, filling the room with a disturbing, ominous atmosphere. The voice sounded oddly familiar, but you couldn’t place it.  </p>
<p>“Who’s there?” You couldn’t help but wonder aloud as you tried to force yourself to remain calm.   </p>
<p>You weren’t really surprised when your question didn’t receive an answer.  </p>
<p>You shakily got to your feet. If Allison was dead, then what happened here? Why was the Academy still standing? Who killed Allison? </p>
<p>You glanced around the living area, wondering if there was anyone else around to ask for help, before you spotted the pair of feet sticking out from behind one of the armchairs.  </p>
<p>You quickly rounded the bar, terrified at the thought of what you would find. What if it was someone else you loved? What if they were dead too? You didn’t think you could take the sight of another dead loved one, but you knew you had to see.  </p>
<p>You felt your breath leave you in a horrified rush at the sight of Vanya lying lifelessly on the floor. Blood drenched the front of her shirt and a puddle of it had grown tacky and cool beneath her. Her skin was cold to your touch when you reached out with trembling fingers to press them against her wrist, fruitlessly searching for a pulse.  </p>
<p>You didn't understand what was going on. How did you get knocked out in 1963 only to wake up in 2019? Why were Allison and Vanya dead? Who was responsible for this?  </p>
<p>It wasn't long until you found the bodies of Luther and Five hidden on the other side of the living room. Both of them seemed to have died bloody, violent deaths like Allison and Vanya. The sight of both of them staring sightlessly up at the ceiling felt like it was enough to break you, but you instinctively knew you had to keep going. You needed answers and you wouldn’t find them with the dead.  </p>
<p>You weren't sure if you wanted to continue when you found Klaus' body.  </p>
<p>He was slumped down against the wall on the far side of the living room near the other doorway. His eyes were cracked open, but from the blood streaked across his face and chest, you knew he was no longer alive.  </p>
<p>"No, no, no, no, no," you chanted as you cupped his face in your hands. "Klaus? Klaus, come on," you pleaded as you fought the urge to shake him.  </p>
<p>You felt tears begin to trail down your cheeks as you tipped your forehead forward to press against Klaus'. His clothes were bloodied and his skin was so pale you couldn't help but think he looked like the ghosts he was forever trying to run from.  </p>
<p>You were used to Klaus being so vibrant and alive that feeling him limp and lifeless against you nearly broke you.  </p>
<p>You knew that if you found Allison, Vanya, Five, Luther, and Klaus, then there was every possibility you would find Diego as well. Was this what Five felt like when he jumped forward in time and landed right in the aftermath of the 2019 apocalypse? Was he this destroyed upon finding all of you dead? Was this why he was so hellbent on saving you all? Did he also experience this feeling of devastation that threatened to weigh you down and anchor you to the floor until you couldn't move again?  </p>
<p>"Don't make me," you begged as you pulled away from Klaus. "I can't," you choked out as you slowly got to your feet.  </p>
<p>You didn't want to find Diego, but your feet seemed to lead you right to him against your will.  </p>
<p>His body was found just outside the living room. There was blood smeared along his face and clothes like the others. He was so still that for a moment you wished you could trick yourself into thinking he was still alive.  </p>
<p>"Please," you whispered as you fell to your knees beside him. "Please, don't do this to me," you cried, tears threatening to choke you. His eyes were closed, he wasn't breathing, and when you reached out to touch his chest, your fingers came away covered in his blood. He didn't have a heartbeat and he wasn't reacting to your demands for him to wake up.  </p>
<p>He was dead.  </p>
<p>"Diego, you can't do this to me. Not you. Never <i>you</i>," you whimpered as you studied him. "You can't leave me like this. Not after everything. You promised me," you got out on a sob. "You <i>promised</i>," you stressed as you started trying to shake him awake. "Just wake up, Diego! Wake up. Wake up!" You yelled finally, a gasp leaving you when the house started to shake all around you, as if reacting to your words.  </p>
<p>"He won't wake up," you heard someone say.  </p>
<p>You glanced up, your hands still desperately clutching Diego's shoulders, to find the little girl from the afterlife considering you from just a few feet away.  </p>
<p>"You," you snarled as you cautiously got to your feet. You didn't want to leave Diego, but you couldn't stand another second of having the evidence of his death right there in front of you.  </p>
<p>"He's mine now. I'll take care of him," the girl assured you with a tiny smirk on her face. "You don't have to worry about him anymore." </p>
<p>"Give him back to me," you begged her as you took a few faltering steps towards her.  </p>
<p>You didn't care that the house was literally falling down around you. You heard bits of the ceiling crash down to the floor as a pillar began to slowly topple over just inside the living room. You knew you didn't have much time, but you just wanted everyone you loved to be safe. You couldn't live without your family and you sure as hell didn't see the point in breathing one more breath without Diego's existence to see you through it.  </p>
<p>"You have to give him back. I need him. I need all of them," you insisted as you took a few more steps towards the girl. </p>
<p>She quirked an eyebrow at you, seemingly unimpressed with your beseeching manner. "I don't have to do anything," she reminded you with a wry grin. "But it's too late for him. He already made his choice." </p>
<p>"No," you denied with a shake of your head. "It can't be over." </p>
<p>"It is for him," she answered as she took a step towards you. "And if you're not careful, you'll all join him soon." </p>
<p>You frowned at her, thrown off by her words. "What does that mean?" </p>
<p>"Sorry," she said with a tilt of her head. "I'm all out of freebies," she added before she reached forward and grasped your wrist.  </p>
<p>There was a loud, clanging sound before you gasped at the shock her touch sent through you. You heard the house beginning to tumble down all around you just as everything went dark.  </p>
<p>"Y/N? Come on, Y/N. Just open your eyes," you heard someone calling to you. Everything felt so distant and far away that you weren't sure if you were just dreaming the sound of Diego's voice or if you were really hearing him.  </p>
<p>You jolted awake at the feeling of someone grabbing your wrist. When you opened your eyes, you expected to find yourself back in the Academy surrounded by your dead loved ones, but you realized that you were looking right into Diego's wide, worried eyes.  </p>
<p>"Oh, thank fuck," he sighed as he pulled you up into his arms. "It's over," he told you before he pressed a kiss to your temple. "We got her in time." </p>
<p>"Vanya? She's okay?" You couldn't help but make sure, your thoughts still hazy and unfocused after the nightmare you just suffered through. You felt like you couldn't catch your breath as you pulled away to get a good look at Diego. You had suffered through a few horrible moments of thinking he was dead, but now he was right here in your arms, giving you a pleased smile.  </p>
<p>"Are <i>you</i> okay?" You heard Vanya wonder from just behind you, the sound of her voice more than a welcome relief.  </p>
<p>"Vanya!" Allison called before getting quickly to her feet and heading towards Vanya.  </p>
<p>"Physically or emotionally?" You heard Klaus wonder as he pressed a hand to his chest. "Because the answer is no for either case." </p>
<p>"You're alive," Diego breathed as he watched Vanya hug Allison. "What happened? We were all knocked out, so how did you snap yourself out of it?" </p>
<p>Before Vanya could answer, Klaus interrupted.  </p>
<p>"So, did we save the world or what? The building didn't go boom and neither did Vanya, so does that mean there's no more apocalypse? Are we all safe now?" </p>
<p>"I think so," Allison mused as she turned to look at Klaus. "I mean, you're right. The building's still here. Everything can go on as it's supposed to now." </p>
<p>Diego pressed a quick kiss to your forehead before he pushed himself to his feet. You reached out to grab his hand, desperate to keep him in reach even though you didn’t feel like you were ready to stand just yet.  </p>
<p>You watched him glance around, surveying the destroyed hallway around you as well as the bodies that had dropped to the floor in the absence of Vanya’s power.  </p>
<p>You heard Klaus moan and when you looked over to see him, it was to the sight of him frowning and clutching his head.  </p>
<p>"What's wrong?"  </p>
<p>Klaus shook his head, tapping his fingers against his temples. "Something wrong," he told you with his brows furrowed. "Something's missing." </p>
<p>"Kennedy's still a few minutes away," you heard Diego say. "I can still save him." </p>
<p>"What?" You couldn't help but ask as you glanced back up at him. You couldn't believe that after everything, his focus was still right on Kennedy.  </p>
<p>"I can still save him," Diego repeated before he shook his hand out of your hold and then took off down the hallway.  </p>
<p>"No, Diego! Wait!" Allison called after Diego before she took off after him.  </p>
<p>"Oh, fuck," you breathed as you attempted to make yourself stand up. The hit to the head earlier was still making everything spin and you were having to force yourself to ignore the pounding headache right at the base of your skull. All you wanted was to find a dark, quiet room, take three or four painkillers, and curl up with Diego. You really didn’t want to have to go running after him in an attempt to stop him from fucking with the timeline any further.  </p>
<p>By the time you managed to get to your feet, you noticed Klaus was squinting at his surroundings, as if searching for something. He still seemed confused about something and you couldn't help but wonder what was going on with him.  </p>
<p>“Klaus? What’s wrong?” </p>
<p>"I'm fine," he dismissed with a wave of his hand. "You should go after your runaway lover before he causes another doomsday for us to clean up." </p>
<p>"You sure?" You couldn't help but ask, worried about Klaus after dreaming of his death. You still couldn't quite shake the lingering despair of the nightmare and a part of you really wanted to check Klaus over for injuries. You knew there was something wrong with him, but you also knew you should go after Diego. </p>
<p>"Go, go," he insisted as he met your eyes. "Go get him." </p>
<p>“I’m here for Klaus,” Vanya promised you with a small smile as she brushed her fingertips against your arm.  </p>
<p>You nodded at her in thanks before you turned to run after Diego and Allison. You found Allison at the stairwell, her features pulled tight with dismay.  </p>
<p>"I couldn't stop him," she told you once she noticed you. "He wouldn't listen to me. He still thinks that he can save Kennedy." </p>
<p>"It's okay," you assured her as you moved to shove open the door to the stairwell. "I've got him." </p>
<p>You raced down the stairs and out of the building, pushing past all the confused workers you met on your way down. Once outside, you took off in the direction of the motorcade. It helped that you knew exactly who Diego was going for since he had seemed so obsessed with the photograph that proved Reginald Hargreeves was right there on the grassy knoll when Kennedy was killed.  </p>
<p>You could see Diego just up ahead of you, but you knew you wouldn't be able to get to him in time. He had too much of a head start on you and your head was still spinning from hitting it on the desk earlier. You still forced yourself forward, knowing that you had to at least try.  </p>
<p>You were too late to stop Diego from tackling the man beneath the umbrella. You skidded to a stop right at Diego’s side just in time to realize that the man Diego took down was not Reginald Hargreeves.  </p>
<p>You were so shocked by the sight of the stranger that you were taken aback by the sound of the gunshots ringing out. You had forgotten for one moment why you were standing there, trying to stop Diego from doing something he might regret later. There were screams and people crying out as the rest of the cars in the motorcade hurried past, leaving you to look to Diego in worry.  </p>
<p>At the look of absolute devastation on his face, you couldn't help but wonder what failing to save Kennedy from his fate would do to Diego now. Besides stopping doomsday, it had seemed to be his only goal since landing in the past. Diego had even been committed in an institution and taken countless hits from Reginald and everyone else because he was so adamant about changing the course of history.  </p>
<p>Now, as Diego jerked the stranger to his feet and fisted his hands in the man's suit jacket, you knew that this was yet another blow to his confidence as a hero.  </p>
<p>"Where is he? Where the hell is he?" Diego spat as he shook the man in front of him.  </p>
<p>The stranger simply offered Diego a smug grin, not bothering to give up any information besides the slip of paper he had ready to hand over.  </p>
<p>Diego scoffed before he grabbed the paper and then moved to step away from him. "Just get the hell out of here," he growled before he turned his back on the man.  </p>
<p>You shot the stranger a displeased glare before you moved to read what the paper said over Diego's shoulder.  </p>
<p>You weren't surprised by the header that proclaimed it to be from Reginald Hargreeves. You were even less surprised by the message written on the scrap of paper. </p>
<p><i>Told you so...</i> </p>
<p>"Fucking Hargreeves," you groaned as you turned away from Diego. The man was always a few steps ahead of the rest of you in the most infuriating way. It wasn’t enough that he sought to tear you all down, but it felt disheartening to know that he always took it so far as to triumph in the face of your failure.  </p>
<p>"It doesn't make sense," Diego muttered as he balled up the piece of paper. "He should have been here. I had time to stop it. I should have stopped it," he insisted as he turned to look at you.  </p>
<p>"Diego," you sighed as you moved to take his hand in yours. "It's not your fault. This wasn't on you." </p>
<p>"But I knew about it! I knew about it and I was right <i>here</i>, Y/N," Diego told you before he huffed out a frustrated breath. "Maybe Dad was right," he muttered with a grimace. </p>
<p>"Hey," you whispered as you pulled on his shoulders until he turned to face you. "Hargreeves wasn't right, okay? Hargreeves has always been a pompous asshole who let a robot and a monkey do the parenting for him, because he couldn't be bothered. He was never right about any of us, because he’s never taken the time to <i>know</i> us. What he said at that dinner was complete bullshit. You are a hero, Diego." </p>
<p>Diego squinted at you before he took a deep breath. "I swear, if you finish that up by saying I'm <i>your</i> hero, then I'm out of here." </p>
<p>You couldn't help but grin at him, opening your mouth to say just that if only to annoy him into forgetting about his disappointment in himself. "You're <i>my</i>--" </p>
<p>Diego rolled his eyes before he cut off your words by pressing his lips to yours. You felt him deepen the kiss almost immediately, his hands coming up to hold onto yours sides. He reeled you in closer, all of his focus on you for a few breathless, dizzying moments, before he finally let you go.  </p>
<p>"--hero, Diego," you finished, just to see the exasperated expression on his face.  </p>
<p>"Are you done?" He asked with a quirked eyebrow. “Or do I need to try to shut you up again?” </p>
<p>You pretended to think about it for a moment, delighting in the fond head shake he gave you. “Are you really giving me a choice between annoying you and making out with you? Because those are two of my favorite activities. I don’t know if I can choose.” </p>
<p>Diego shot you a helpless grin before he trailed his hands down your sides until he was holding onto your hips. “Maybe I should tip the balance in my favor,” he murmured before he pressed his lips to yours briefly. “Is this helping my case?” He asked before he left a line of kisses from your mouth to your jaw. You felt his teeth scrape lightly over the skin there before he pressed his face into the crook of your neck, leaving a kiss there as well.  </p>
<p>You felt him take a deep, shaky breath before he placed a final kiss to the underside of your jaw. He pulled back to look at you, his hands coming up to frame your face.  </p>
<p>“What are we supposed to do now?” He still looked so heartbroken, despite the levity you tried to instill in the moment.  </p>
<p>You knew there really wasn’t all that much you could do to help him. Vanya had been stopped and Kennedy was dead despite Diego’s best efforts. The timeline was likely as fixed as it could be, so there was really only one thing to do. </p>
<p>"Come on," you finally told him as you moved to wrap an arm around his waist. "We have to get back to the others." </p>
<p>Diego threw his arm over your shoulders and started back in the direction of the federal building.  </p>
<p>"I guess we should really try to find Luther and Five now. Think they're still alive?" </p>
<p>You shivered at the memory of your nightmare and pressed yourself further into Diego's side. </p>
<p>"God, I hope so," you mumbled as you did your best to forget the sight of their bodies sprawled out on the living room floor of the Academy.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Only one more to go until we have to wait for season three. I'm really hoping I can deliver with the ending and I hope you all enjoyed this!</p>
<p>Also, if you read my Klaus series, you might be interested to know that I plan on creating an alternate ending to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24012241/chapters/57768265">Tickin' Like a Timebomb</a> so I can explore season two events with that series. I'll probably start on that once I finish this fic.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. What a Wicked Game You Play</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here is the end, folks! Sorry it took so long. This chapter is a monster at 11.5k. I hope you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>By the time you rounded up Klaus, Allison, and Vanya and managed to get back to Elliott's without drawing attention to yourselves, Five and Luther were already there waiting for you.  </p>
<p>Everyone seemed to be suffering from a combination of exhaustion, frustration, and relief.  </p>
<p>You noticed Klaus appeared oddly pensive as he silently trudged up the stairs towards the second floor.  </p>
<p>"Klaus," you called as you trailed after him. "What's going on?" </p>
<p>Klaus glanced at you over his shoulder before waving you off. You frowned up at him, tracking him as he immediately made for Elliott's room.  </p>
<p>"Hey," you heard Diego mutter behind you. "You're bleeding," he continued as he pressed his fingers to a cut on your temple.  </p>
<p>You flinched away, hissing at the sting. "Shit," you breathed as you reached up to feel around the edges of the cut. "Must have happened when I hit the desk." </p>
<p>"It's mostly hidden by your hair," Diego pointed out as he began to urge you up the stairs and away from where the others were all talking in the lobby.  </p>
<p>"I didn't even notice," you told him as you reached the second floor. You turned to look at him, wincing when he brushed his fingers against the cut again.  </p>
<p>"Come on," he murmured as he nodded towards Elliott's kitchen. "Let's get that cleaned up." </p>
<p>Diego directed you to sit at Elliott's kitchen table before he moved towards the sink. He grabbed a dish towel before letting cold water from the sink run over it. You watched him wring it out before he moved to take the chair next to yours.  </p>
<p>He reached out to lightly grip your chin before he dabbed at the cut. You did your best not to flinch at the sting, keeping your focus on Diego.  </p>
<p>"What did Klaus mean?" Diego asked as he continued to wipe away the fresh and dried blood.  </p>
<p>"About?" You couldn't help but wonder. Klaus said so many things that it was near impossible to know what Diego was referring to now.  </p>
<p>"When he mentioned you dying again," Diego clarified as he pulled his hand away. He let the towel drop to the table before he reached out to grab your hand. His brows were furrowed with worry as he regarded you.  </p>
<p>"Oh, that," you sighed as you fought the urge to look away. "When Leonard killed me, it wasn't technically the first time I died." You saw Diego open his mouth, alarm clear on his face, but you raised a hand to stall him. "The first time was the night before at a rave. I guess I got hit over the head and it was lights out for me. But when I died, I met a little girl. Or, God, I guess. I'm still not completely sure. And she let me come back. She said I could stay, but I didn't want to, and she let me come back. I guess she knew I still wasn't long for this world, so joke was really on me at that point. When I died the second time, she was waiting for me. She didn't want to let me go. I had to beg her to let me come back to you. To all of you," you added, feeling oddly choked up at the fear you felt when you thought you would never see Diego or your family again. "I had to make a deal." </p>
<p>Diego quirked an eyebrow at that, his thumb continuously rubbing soothing circles into the palm of your hand. "What kind of deal?" You could tell by the tone of his voice that he was just as apprehensive about your deal as you felt when you made it.  </p>
<p>You grimaced, glancing away from him, before you finally replied. "I won't get another chance to come back. The next time I die is the <i>last</i> time I die." </p>
<p>"Fuck, Y/N," Diego hissed, his hand clenching almost painfully around yours for a moment, before he relented.   </p>
<p>"Yeah," you agreed with a wince. You knew it was ridiculous to be worried about dying. You knew that once people died, they usually didn't get a second chance, much less a third at life. But with one apocalypse averted and another in the future to worry about, you knew that there was every chance that your life could be taken from you soon.  </p>
<p>"I'm not going to let you die," Diego promised before he brought your hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to your palm. "We're going to get through this together." </p>
<p>You could see how earnest he was as he studied you. You knew that he was still reeling from the shock of Kennedy's death earlier. You knew he was desperate for a win, but he also didn't want to lose you. The expression on his face as he looked at you, as if his world began and ended with you, told you that he was desperate to keep you alive. He looked like he was ready to throw himself between you and any potential danger that might come your way.  </p>
<p>You thought you could understand. You would do just about anything not to lose him.  </p>
<p>"Okay," you whispered, offering him a shaky smile. "I trust you." </p>
<p>"Damn right you do," Diego said as a smirk formed on his face. He used his hold on your hand to reel you in close to him, his lips pressing against yours.  </p>
<p>What started out as a chaste kiss soon turned hungry, both of you seeking assurance from the other through touch. You felt him pull you closer to him, urging you to climb into his lap with his hands on your hips. You felt a restlessness just beneath your skin as you pressed against him. It urged you to get as close as you could and let him consume you just as quickly as you wished to consume him.  </p>
<p>Diego's hands trailed up from your hips and along your sides, inching your shirt up until he was caressing skin. You shivered against him, allowing the kiss to turn nearly possessive as you pressed your hips against his.  </p>
<p>Diego moaned his approval as he let his hands slip up your back, rucking your shirt up even further.  </p>
<p>You weren't really sure how far you were willing to go with Diego in Elliott's kitchen. You knew both of you were hurting in some way and were looking for comfort. You also knew that after years of pining, you were more than a little eager to have Diego in every way you could possibly get him.  </p>
<p>You were just considering reaching for Diego's belt when you heard someone clear their throat behind you.  </p>
<p>"Don't care. Go away," Diego muttered against your lips.  </p>
<p>"Really, guys? You think now is the time?" </p>
<p>"Seriously, fuck off, Luther," Diego snapped as he finally pulled away from you. He shot a glare at Luther over your shoulder, his hands smoothing out your shirt so you were once again fully covered.  </p>
<p>"I thought you might want to come see this," Luther offered, carefully not looking at you or Diego. "It's important." </p>
<p>Diego groaned before he tipped his head forward until his forehead was resting against your shoulder. "Just give us a moment. We'll be there." </p>
<p>Luther nodded his head before turning around and heading towards the stairs. "You were right, Five," you heard Luther say as he began to descend the stairs towards the first floor. "They were trying to bone in the kitchen."  </p>
<p>"They're the worst," you muttered before you turned your head to kiss Diego's temple.  </p>
<p>"They really are," he agreed before he sighed and placed his hands on your hips to urge you off his lap. "And they know the best way to kill a mood." </p>
<p>"Hey," you whispered when he finally stood up. You offered him a helpless smile as you took a step closer to him. "We'll have our moment." </p>
<p>"Yeah? I'll have to hold you to that," he said as he pulled you in closer towards him. "Once all this bullshit is over, it's just going to be me and you for at least a week." He pressed a kiss to your jaw, a wicked smirk on his face when he pulled back to look at you. "I have so much I want to do with you." </p>
<p>You felt a shiver run down your spine. You wished more than anything that you could forget all your troubles and just lose yourself in Diego. It was something you had wanted for years and even though you finally had him, you still had to wait.  </p>
<p>"Sounds perfect," you conceded with a grin.  </p>
<p>Diego looked pleased before he grabbed your hand and started pulling you over towards the stairs. You heard the sounds of Allison's and Vanya's voices drifting up towards you and couldn't help but shoot a glance over towards the closed door to Elliott's bedroom. Klaus’ coin was still in the room, which meant that Klaus was still in the room.  </p>
<p>"I'll meet you down there, okay?"  </p>
<p>Diego frowned at you in confusion before he realized what you wanted. He sighed and let your hand go before nodding his head. "See if you can get him to join us," Diego said before he turned to go downstairs.  </p>
<p>You took a deep breath before knocking on the door to Elliott's room. When silence was your only answer, you cautiously opened the door, the sight of Klaus curled up on Elliott's bed greeting you.  </p>
<p>"Oh, Klaus," you sighed before you approached the bed. You hesitated for a moment before sitting down on the edge of the bed. "What's going on?"  </p>
<p>Klaus grimaced up at the ceiling before his face fell with something that looked a lot like loss.  </p>
<p>"Ben is gone," Klaus finally offered as he managed to sit up and turn towards you. "He's not here anymore." </p>
<p>"He's <i>gone</i>?" You didn't understand how Ben could just suddenly disappear. "What happened?" </p>
<p>Klaus' eyes narrowed for a moment before he shook his head. "I asked around when I realized something was wrong. None of the other spirits knew him. None of them had seen him. For the first time in seventeen years, I couldn't find him. And that's when I knew that he was gone. Moved on to that pie in the sky life in the clouds." </p>
<p>You suddenly remembered your dream back at the federal building. "Oh fuck," you breathed in realization. You remembered the little girl mentioning that someone had made his choice. That someone belonged to her and that if you weren't careful, you would all join him. She was talking about Ben. She meant that she had Ben now. You felt the burn of tears in your eyes at the thought that Ben was well and truly gone. "He made his choice," you whispered in understanding.  </p>
<p>"What?" Klaus snapped, his eyes flashing in an unfamiliar spark of anger as he looked at you. "What did you say?" </p>
<p>"It's nothing," you tried to dismiss with a shake of your head.  </p>
<p>"His choice," Klaus echoed with a scowl on his face. "What was his choice?" </p>
<p>You bit your lip, momentarily unsure about how to proceed, before you noticed the frustration starting to leak into Klaus' expression. "When I got knocked out trying to reach Vanya, I had a dream about the girl from the afterlife." You didn't want to say you had a conversation with God that might have turned out to be the tiniest bit prophetic. You knew it sounded ridiculous, even given the recent events of your lives, but you couldn't help but try to relay everything you could to Klaus about what was mentioned about Ben.  </p>
<p>Klaus scoffed before he glanced away from you. You saw his jaw clench as his hands curled into fists. "He told me that you gave him the idea that he could possess other people. I've been trying to put it all together and I think that's what he did. He possessed Vanya and snapped her out of her little rage fest. <i>You</i> gave him the idea and it killed him," he bit out before he finally glanced back at you. From just that one look you could see that Klaus was nearly lost with grief and sorrow. You couldn't even imagine what he was going through. He had spent so many years with Ben right there at his side and now he was gone.  </p>
<p>You understood his pain, but his words still hurt.  </p>
<p>"Klaus," you started, not sure how to even continue.  </p>
<p>Klaus shook his head before he turned away from you. You heard him let out a breath before his shoulders slumped. "I just need a moment alone. Please," he added after a few seconds.  </p>
<p>You really didn't want to leave him alone, but you knew that it would only make the situation worse if you stayed.  </p>
<p>"Okay," you whispered before you stood from the bed. Your hand hovered over his shoulder for a moment, wishing to reach out and comfort him, but you pulled your hand away before you made contact.  </p>
<p>When you got downstairs, you noticed the others starting to bicker. "What's happening now?" You couldn't help but ask as you moved to stand at Allison's side on the stairs.  </p>
<p>"Well, we're all wanted," she offered with an exasperated scoff.  </p>
<p>"Yeah, they made sure to mention your ties to the mafia," Diego added with a wry twist to his lips as he glanced up at you.  </p>
<p>"They think we kidnapped Five," Luther informed you with a disgruntled expression.  </p>
<p>"And murdered the president," Vanya helpfully contributed with a frown.  </p>
<p>"We need to be smart about what we do next," Five pointed out as he looked to each of you. "They think you're all terrorists and I'm some hapless victim." From the look on his face, you knew Five didn't quite disagree with the last part. "We can't get back home if you're all locked up or thrown back in the nuthouse," he said with a pointed look at Diego.  </p>
<p>Diego rolled his eyes, moving to cross his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the railing of the stairs.  </p>
<p>You were aware of Klaus' coin approaching. You glanced over to see he was slowly descending the stairs as he tugged on his vest. He avoided your gaze, but as he passed behind you, he brushed his fingers across your back. It was his way of silently letting you know that everything was okay between you.  </p>
<p>"It's only a matter of time before the FBI or secret service tracks us down. We haven't exactly been discreet," Allison pointed out as she leaned against the railing of the stairs, crossing her arms in front of her.  </p>
<p>"Well, where are we supposed to go?" Vanya asked as she glanced at each of you. "It's not like we really have anywhere else to run to." </p>
<p>"Not true," Klaus challenged with a shake of his head. "I have this yurt just outside of Reykjavik. Not many people know about it and folks around there are quite lovely, if a little bit strange. I'm sure they wouldn't sell us out to the feds." </p>
<p>Five scoffed before he looked at Klaus. "Hey, numbnuts," he called with an exasperated tone. "There's no hiding from the Commission. They're going to find us no matter where we go." </p>
<p>"He's right," Diego cut in as he finally stood from where he had been leaning against the railing near the bottom of the stairs. "They're ruthless and if they want us? Then they're not going to stop until they get us." </p>
<p>You noticed Five's expression quickly morph from stunned to perturbed. "I'm sorry," he drawled with a disbelieving sneer. "Since when are you an expert on the Commission? Last I checked, you didn't know a damn thing about them." </p>
<p>"Yeah, you're not the only one with all the answers now, Five," Diego said as he took a step closer to him. "I just got back from their headquarters." </p>
<p>"What?" Five looked like he was torn between asking Diego if it was all a joke and begrudgingly believing him.  </p>
<p>"You see, they headhunted me. They offered me a job." He shot an apologetic look up at you, likely remembering that the only reason he ended up on the Commission's radar was because Lila had kidnapped him.  </p>
<p>You sighed before resolving to tune out the bickering that was sure to ensue. You knew how it would go. Five would belittle Diego and Diego would rise to the bait. The others would jump in at some point and then no one would even be able to tell what was going on, because about five different fights and lines of conversation were sure to follow.  </p>
<p>When you noticed Vanya heading up the stairs while Diego boasted about his success in stopping doomsday, you decided to follow after her. She seemed disturbed by something and even though you knew you had all managed to avert doomsday, you had been waiting for the other shoe to drop and prove that there was still more to worry about.  </p>
<p>If there was anything you had learned by being a Hargreeves, it was that nothing ever worked out like you wanted it to. Most of the time, your successes were just failures waiting to happen.  </p>
<p>By the time you reached Vanya, she was just placing the phone back in its cradle.  </p>
<p>"What's going on?" </p>
<p>Vanya jumped in surprise before whirling around to look at you. "Sissy's in trouble. I think there's something wrong with Harlan. They need my help," she insisted, already looking like she was imagining each and every worst-case scenario.  </p>
<p>It didn't take you long to make your decision. You knew that Vanya had been through so much. From Hargreeves hiding her powers from her and locking her up when you were younger to letting her fury and pain lead her towards causing the destruction of the world. You knew to go from Leonard manipulating her and using her for his own revenge against the family to losing her memory the second she landed in the 60s to being tortured by the FBI had to have taken its toll on her. But she was still here and ready to fight for the people she loved. As far as you were aware, Sissy and Harlan were two of the only bright spots in Vanya's life and if they were in trouble? Then you owed it to her to help her save them.  </p>
<p>"Then let's go," you decided with a quick nod.   </p>
<p>A relieved smile broke out over Vanya's face as she reached out to take your hand. She squeezed your hand once before letting it go. "Thank you." </p>
<p>You nodded towards the stairs, a helpless grin on your face. "Let's go try to rally the other idiots, yeah?" </p>
<p>Vanya laughed before brushing past you as she headed towards the stairs.  </p>
<p>You heard Luther making plans to fortify Elliott's against a possible attack as you trailed down the stairs after Vanya.  </p>
<p>Once Vanya reached the foyer, she barely took a breath before speaking. "I'm leaving," she announced, looking momentarily unsure as she glanced at the others.  </p>
<p>"What? Where are you going?" Allison asked as she turned her full focus on Vanya.  </p>
<p>"Sissy's farm," Vanya answered before she glanced back to you, as if searching for reassurance, before she looked at the others again. "There's something wrong with Harlan and I need to help him. I think it's my fault and I need to fix this before it gets worse." </p>
<p>You noticed Luther shake his head. "Vanya, you can't leave. We have to stick together. If we all split up now, then that's just going to help this Commission or the FBI pick us all off one by one." </p>
<p>"I'm going with her," you offered, hoping it would sway at least one or two of the others to help you.  </p>
<p>"What?" Diego asked as he turned to look at you. "Y/N, you can't be serious." </p>
<p>"You're dividing our ranks," Luther stressed as he glanced from Vanya to you. "We can't defend ourselves if we decide to all go off and do our own thing." </p>
<p>"That's why I'm hoping the rest of you will come with us," Vanya said as she shifted nervously on her feet. "I need you. All of you. I might be the only one who can help Harlan, but that doesn't mean I don't need my family with me when I do. And it has to be me, because I'm the one who caused the problem in the first place." </p>
<p>"How?" Luther asked, his brows furrowing in confusion. "What did you do to the kid?" </p>
<p>"He drowned and I brought him back to life. I don't know how I did it, but it's like we're connected now." </p>
<p>"What does that even mean?" Luther looked even more perplexed now, which seemed to be a feeling that was echoed throughout the rest of the family.  </p>
<p>"I don't know," Vanya sighed, sounding as if she was losing the rest of her confidence. "I can't explain it, but I know that he needs my help. Sissy needs me and Harlan needs me and I need all of you." She took a deep, shuddering breath before continuing. "I'm scared," she admitted as she silently implored the others to understand her.  </p>
<p>You reached out to grab her hand in an effort to let her know that she wasn't alone. She shot you a grateful smile over her shoulder before glancing back to the others.  </p>
<p>"For the first time in my life, I don't want to do it alone. For the first time, I'm realizing that I don't <i>have</i> to. I want my family by my side. Please," she begged with a tremble in her voice.  </p>
<p>"Look, I'm sorry," Diego started as he considered Vanya. You noticed he was very pointedly not looking at you, since he knew he would be able to see the disappointment and hurt in your expression. "We have other priorities right now and we just can't risk running off to save some kid." </p>
<p>"Diego's right," Five cut in with a tone of exaggerated disbelief. "For once," he helpfully added. "We need to make our stand here and now. We can't allow the Commission any more time to take us by surprise." </p>
<p>You noticed Vanya's shoulders drop before she forlornly nodded her head. "If that's your answer, then I guess I'll see you when I see you." </p>
<p>"I'll meet you at the car, okay?" You managed to tell her before she headed for the exit. "I just need a moment." </p>
<p>You watched her walk away, feeling disappointed in the others. A sense of hope filled you when Klaus immediately got up and started pulling on his coat. You waited until he followed after Vanya, his hand coming up to pat you briefly on the shoulder as he passed you, before you turned a glare on the others.  </p>
<p>"What the fuck is wrong with you all?" </p>
<p>"Y/N," Luther started, a frown on his face.  </p>
<p>"No," you were quick to cut him off. "I don't want to hear any bullshit about taking a stand or protecting ourselves. What's the point of any of this if we can't count on each other? Vanya is terrified for the woman she loves and her child. Vanya practically begged you all to be there for her and you turned her away," you accused with a frustrated huff of breath. "All she wants is her family at her side and you can't be bothered? You think that there's any hope of saving yourselves when we're already being torn apart? <i>This</i> is the moment to save ourselves. Sure, we can stay here and try to fend off any attacks, but where is that going to get us? The fight will follow us no matter where we go, so why not be there for Vanya now? What happened to Team Zero?" You couldn't help but ask, finally managing to get Diego to meet your eyes. "What happened to us?" You softly questioned before you shook your head and moved towards the exit.  </p>
<p>"Fuck," you heard Diego bite out just as you were opening the door and leaving Elliott's.  </p>
<p>Once you got to the car, glad to see that Klaus was in the passenger seat, you motioned for him to scoot over so you could join him and Vanya. Klaus wriggled a bit in the middle of the front bench seat, accidentally elbowing you in the side, before he threw an arm around your shoulders and then his other one around Vanya's.  </p>
<p>"Look at us," he mused as he playfully ruffled your hair. "The best of the team right here. Who needs the others?" </p>
<p>"Thanks, Klaus," you heard Diego mutter before he opened the back-passenger side door.  </p>
<p>"Got room for two more?" Allison asked as she climbed into the car and settled into the seat behind Vanya.  </p>
<p>You noticed a surprised, pleased grin stretch across Vanya's face as she glanced back to consider the pair. "What about the Commission?" </p>
<p>"Well, we might as well do some good before we all die horribly," Diego mused as he reached out to brush a hand over your shoulder. You couldn't help but think it was his own way of proving to you that he was there and had taken your words to heart. “Team Zero, right?” </p>
<p>You felt your own pleased grin form on your face as you reached a hand up to grab his, briefly tangling your fingers together before letting him go.  </p>
<p>The door next to you opened and Five ducked his head to consider you and Klaus before glancing to Vanya. </p>
<p>Vanya seemed to be flustered by the sudden show of support from the others. "Five, you--you don't have to--" she stumbled over her words, obviously not sure how to handle Five's appearance.  </p>
<p>"I know. You owe me one, sis," he assured Vanya with a wink before he looked back at you and Klaus. "Children ride in the back." </p>
<p>Klaus immediately twisted around to throw himself into the backseat, much to the displeasure of Diego and Allison. While they were dodging Klaus' flailing limbs as he attempted to squirm into the seat between them, you simply quirked an eyebrow at Five, unimpressed with his words, before you pointedly scooted over to take the seat Klaus previously occupied.  </p>
<p>"I guess that'll do," Five conceded before he dropped down into the seat next to you and pulled the front passenger door closed.   </p>
<p>"Guys, I don't know what to say," Vanya started before she was interrupted by the sound of the back hatch door opening.  </p>
<p>You glanced over your shoulder to see Luther climbing into the back. He was hunched over and clearly uncomfortable as the car groaned and protested, the back dipping under his mass.  </p>
<p>His neck was craned at an awkward angle as he looked towards you and the others. "Anyone makes a fat joke and I'm outta here," he warned with a grimace as he attempted to get comfortable.  </p>
<p>You felt a smile stretch across your face as Vanya started up the car. You weren't sure what was happening to Harlan, but you couldn't help but feel hopeful that the seven of you would be able to face whatever trouble was heading your way together.  </p>
<p>When Vanya pulled up to Sissy's farm, you were surprised to see snow covering the ground. Lightning flashed as a storm cloud raged over the barn, lending a further chill to the air that had you shivering the moment you stepped out of the car.  </p>
<p>Diego moved to wrap an arm around your shoulders, as if trying to offer you some of his warmth. "You think whatever's going on inside is causing this cold front?" </p>
<p>Five studied the barn for a moment before frowning up at the storm brewing above it. "The correlation is high," he observed with a thoughtful look on his face.  </p>
<p>You felt the impression of a gun coming closer towards the group and turned to see Sissy running out of the barn with a shotgun in her hands. </p>
<p>"Sissy!" Vanya called as she attempted to get closer to the woman.  </p>
<p>Sissy held the gun up and pointed it at all of you. "You need to get back. Get back!" She demanded when Vanya shifted forward with her hands held up.  </p>
<p>You reached out with your power, pulling the shotgun towards you. You noticed the startled look on Sissy's face when the gun flew out of her hands just to land in yours. Vanya shot you a displeased look, but you simply shrugged your shoulders in response.  </p>
<p>"Who are you?" Sissy called as she crossed her arms over her chest. She kept glancing at you and then down to her shotgun in your grasp, as if she was still trying to determine how you had managed to steal it from her without actually taking a step towards her.  </p>
<p>"Sissy, listen to me, okay?" Vanya pleaded as she took a slow step towards Sissy, her hands still out in an effort to show she wasn't a danger to Sissy. "I know you're scared, but I can help Harlan." </p>
<p>"Why should I trust you?" Sissy asked with her brows furrowed. You could see that she was shaking, but her jaw was clenched, and she was firmly standing her ground. You couldn't help but think that you had to admire a woman who was very clearly distressed, but was going to do her damnedest to not back down against a perceived threat.  </p>
<p>"Because I found my family," Vanya said as she pointed towards all of you. You noticed Sissy studying you again, before her eyes briefly flicked over to consider Luther. You wondered if she recognized the both of you from when you confronted Vanya just days earlier in the barn. "I know who I am now, Sissy." </p>
<p>"Were you lyin' to me this whole time?" Sissy asked as she took a step back.  </p>
<p>"I never lied to you," Vanya insisted as she seemed to fight the urge to try to get closer to Sissy. "I didn't know who I was when I met you, but I do now. We are not the monsters that they say we are. We did not kill JFK and we are not terrorists and I swear to you that we are not here to hurt anyone. We're not murderers or kidnappers or criminals. We're not any of those things, Sissy." </p>
<p>You saw Sissy's shoulders slump a bit as confusion stole across her face. "Then, who are you?" </p>
<p>"The only one who can help Harlan," Vanya firmly answered.  </p>
<p>Sissy seemed to accept that, because she nodded her head and gestured for all of you to follow her into the barn.  </p>
<p>When you stepped inside the barn, it was to see Harlan suspended in the center of a vortex of flashing lights.  </p>
<p>"Harlan!" Vanya called before she immediately moved to approach him. You were tempted to reach out and stop her, but you trusted Vanya. If she said she could help Harlan and the surge of power he was in no way ready to handle, then she could do it.  </p>
<p>You wordlessly handed over the shotgun still in your hands to Sissy, knowing that she wasn’t going to actually use it against any of you. She quirked an eyebrow at you before her focus went back to where Vanya was attempting to get through to Harlan. You noticed Vanya freeze just outside the vortex before she took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to do.  </p>
<p>A white glow briefly lit up her skin before she pushed forward, dropping to her knees just inside the vortex.  </p>
<p>"Uh, guys?" You heard Klaus call from the entryway of the barn.  </p>
<p>You really didn't like the worried tone of his voice, but you should have known that it couldn't be this easy. You and the others crowded around Klaus, trying to spot what had caught his attention across the field from the barn. You could make out two women standing in the field, still and waiting.  </p>
<p>Unfortunately, you recognized one of the women.  </p>
<p>"You've got to be fucking kidding me," you hissed as your eyes caught on Lila.  </p>
<p>"Who are they?" Klaus wondered as he squinted his eyes at the pair, as if trying to get a better look at them.  </p>
<p>"Well, one's The Handler," Five answered as he tilted his head to consider the two women. "And the other is Diego's girlfriend." </p>
<p>You reached out to tug hard on Five's ear, prompting him to gift you with a look that told you he was briefly wondering if he could get away with murdering you.  </p>
<p>You felt Diego run a reassuring hand over your back before he spoke. "She's not my girlfriend. She never was." </p>
<p>"Doesn't matter," Luther dismissed as he shook his head. "They both look angry and ready to kill us all." </p>
<p>Allison snorted before a smirk tugged at her lips. "Yeah, well Diego does tend to have that effect on people." </p>
<p>"I'm gonna go find out what they want. You guys need to stay with Vanya and the kid. If this goes south, then someone should protect the civilians," Five instructed as he straightened his uniform jacket and took a step outside the barn.  </p>
<p>Diego quickly reached out to stall him. "I'm coming with you too." </p>
<p>"What? No, you're not. Diego, the last time you saw Lila, she kidnapped you. You can't trust that she won't try something again." </p>
<p>"Hey, I know that, alright?" Diego said as he turned to face you. He brought his hands up to frame your face, forcing you to meet his eyes. "But I can't let Five go out there alone and I'm the only one here besides him who knows them." When your scowl didn't abate, he sighed and pulled you in for a kiss. "I'll be careful, okay?" He mumbled against your lips before pressing in even closer.  </p>
<p>"If you two are going to continue with your own personal soap opera, then I'm just going to go," Five warned as he took another few steps away from the barn.  </p>
<p>You sighed, feeling oddly defeated, before you tipped your forehead to rest against Diego's. "Come back to me in one piece, okay?" </p>
<p>"I promise," he said before he pulled away from you.  </p>
<p>You had to fight the urge to follow after Diego and Five as they went to confront Lila and The Handler. You knew that they were more than capable of taking care of themselves, but you really didn't want Diego anywhere near Lila again. Call it jealousy or overprotectiveness, but you didn't trust her.  </p>
<p>You were content to stand in the entryway of the barn and watch them, but when Klaus, Allison, and Luther seemed as if they were going to try to get a better look at the exchange, you couldn't help but follow after them. You shot one glance back to see Vanya seemingly getting through to Harlan before you joined the others where they were watching Diego and Five talk to Lila and The Handler.  </p>
<p>"What do you think they're talking about?" Allison asked before glancing briefly at the three of you. "I can't tell if they're going to leave or try to attack." </p>
<p>"I'm not sure," Luther mused as he watched the four off in the distance. "But which one is the ex?" </p>
<p>You reached out to slap his shoulder, but were drawn short by the sudden appearance of several Temps Commission agents behind Lila and The Handler.  </p>
<p>"Oh my God," Luther breathed as he took a step back in surprise.  </p>
<p>You noticed Diego and Five start running back across the field just as the agents began to pursue them. Allison, Luther, and Klaus all moved to run, but when you stayed in place, you heard Klaus call out to you.  </p>
<p>"Y/N, come on! There's too many of them." </p>
<p>You shook your head, offering him what you hoped was a reassuring look over your shoulder. "I can hold them off," you told him, fighting down the voice in the back of your head that instinctively wondered if that was true. While you had been attempting to strengthen your powers recently, you weren't quite confident in your ability to disarm a whole field of agents. "Go!" You commanded when the bullets started flying, forcing Klaus to hop back in an effort to avoid getting hit. "I've got this." </p>
<p>Klaus looked like he wanted to argue, but when you turned your back on him and held your hands up, you heard the distinct sound of him running away from you.  </p>
<p>You did your best to stop bullets or turn guns against their owners or crumple them up until they were completely useless. You knew that if you kept going at the rate you were, though, then you would quickly run out of energy. You also realized with a sinking feeling in your gut that Five and Diego weren't going to make it at the pace they were running.  </p>
<p>You saw Five reach out to grab Diego's arm before he blipped forward until they were at your side. Diego heaved an unsteady breath before he blindly reached out for your arm. He forced you to turn and run with him, silently urging you forward.  </p>
<p>Diego dove behind a tractor for cover, pulling you down to his side as Five joined you.  </p>
<p>"What do we do now?" Five asked as he attempted to catch his breath. "There's too many of them." </p>
<p>"You take Y/N and blink into the house. I’ll hold them off for as long as I can," Diego offered simply, as if it was the only true course of action left.  </p>
<p>"What? No! I can handle them," you insisted as you turned a glare on Diego. "I'm not leaving you." </p>
<p>"Shit, I'm out of fuel," Five hissed as he attempted to use his power. "I'm too tired. I can't do anything yet." </p>
<p>"Then make a run for the house and I'll cover for you," Diego said before he ducked out from behind the tractor.  </p>
<p>"<i>We</i> will cover you," you amended before you followed after Diego.  </p>
<p>Diego had his hands up as he stopped the barrage of bullets that would have hit both of you in midair before he directed them all towards a tractor trailer off to your right. You were quick to work on pushing back Temps Commission agents and doing your best to render their guns useless.  </p>
<p>You took a moment to make sure that Five had made it safely to the house before you turned your attention towards the agents still determined to attack you and your family. Your vision blacked out for a moment as you managed to push down a group of agents, anchoring them to the ground with whatever metal they had in their possessions.  </p>
<p>"Fuck," you hissed before you helplessly swayed into Diego's side. "I'm running out of fuel too." </p>
<p>Diego's arm came up to wrap around your waist before he urged you to turn and make a run back for the tractor.  </p>
<p>"Come on!" He yelled as he helped you dive for cover. He was quick to press his back to the front wheel as he pulled you down to rest between his legs, your back pressed to his front. His arms wrapped around you, his breath shuddering in your ear. You knew he was just as scared now as you were. If you couldn't stop the Temps Commission agents, then there was nothing that was going to delay them from slaughtering you all.  </p>
<p>You braced for pain or some sort of impact, but when you heard Diego let out an incredulous laugh, you glanced up to see what had caught his attention.  </p>
<p>"Oh shit," you whispered when you saw Vanya hovering in the air just outside the barn. Her skin and eyes were glowing white as she stared down the numerous agents swarming across the field. You felt Diego's arms wrap tighter around you before you turned your head away, knowing that you wouldn't want to witness the blinding might of Vanya's power once she unleashed it.  </p>
<p>It wasn't long before you felt a wave of energy crash over the field. You felt Diego's arms slowly unwind from around you once he realized the danger had seemed to pass. You pushed yourself to your feet before turning to offer him a hand up.  </p>
<p>"It looks like Vanya's power does come in handy sometimes," he muttered before he reeled you in for a kiss.  </p>
<p>You allowed yourself one blissful moment to enjoy the feeling of him pressed against you before you reluctantly pulled away. "Maybe we should go check on the others," you suggested as you fought the urge to kiss him again.  </p>
<p>Diego looked like he wanted to protest, before he sighed and nodded his head. "Right," he agreed as he began to lead you around the side of the tractor. He opened his mouth to say something else, but he froze at whatever had caught his attention.  </p>
<p>You hastily followed his gaze to see Lila and The Handler unbothered by Vanya's attack. Both of them had been kept safe beneath a force field as the rest of the agents were destroyed by Vanya's power.  </p>
<p>"Where did that come from?" You couldn't help but ask before the shield dropped. You felt your eyes widen in shock as Lila began to rise above the field, her eyes and hands glowing in an imitation of Vanya's earlier display.  </p>
<p>"Oh, shit," you heard Diego breathe in awe. "That's not normal," he managed to add before Lila unleashed her own wave of power.  </p>
<p>You barely had time to prepare for the blast that hit you and propelled you away from Diego. You slammed into the ground, the breath leaving you in a rush that had you wheezing in pain. Everything seemed to spin for a moment as you tried to force yourself to sit up.  </p>
<p>You felt dizzy as you glanced hurriedly from one place to the next, attempting to spot one of your loved ones. You saw a hand shoot out from a trailer full of hay and realized that Allison was attempting to free herself from it.  </p>
<p>You scrambled to your feet, rushing towards her in an attempt to help her out of the trailer.  </p>
<p>"Thanks," she managed to say as she brushed off the straws of hay sticking to her clothes.  </p>
<p>You were about to suggest trying to find the others when Luther was suddenly thrown through the wall of Sissy's house.  </p>
<p>"Luther!" Allison called before she took off towards him.  </p>
<p>You followed after her, watching as she dropped to her knees beside Luther where he was seemingly out cold.  </p>
<p>"Oi!" You heard someone shout from the house in an attempt to grab your attention. You glanced over to see Lila considering you and Allison from the hole Luther's body had punched through the wall. She tilted her head to the side, amusement clear in her features. "Hi," she simply offered when she realized you and Allison were looking at her. Lila jumped from the house to the ground, her attention never wavering from you or Allison as she turned to face the two of you.  </p>
<p>Allison rose to her feet, carefully stepping around Luther's body as she moved to approach Lila.  </p>
<p>"We haven't officially met yet," Lila started as she held out her hand towards Allison. "I'm Lila," she introduced with a look on her face that told you she fully expected to make it out of this confrontation without a scratch on her.  </p>
<p>"Yeah," Allison drawled as she came to a stop in front of Lila. "It is <i>so</i> nice to meet you," she said before she quickly punched Lila in the face.  </p>
<p>You couldn't quite help the smirk that formed on your face in reaction. Lila's head had snapped to the side, but she had a grin on her face when she looked back at Allison.  </p>
<p>"Yeah, I like you," Lila said before she glanced quickly to you. "You, not so much," she growled before she threw herself towards Allison. You noticed her get a kick to the back of Allison's knee that had her stumbling. Lila was quick to push herself away from Allison and come after you.  </p>
<p>You managed to dodge one punch before throwing an arm up to shield yourself from another. Allison hastily got back to her feet and joined you in fighting Lila. Where you ducked to avoid a kick, Allison was sure to follow it up with a fist aimed for Lila's ribs. When Allison had to throw herself back to avoid a hit, you made sure to land a kick to Lila's knee. For one dizzying moment, you could have sworn you were a teenager and taking down bad guys with the rest of team. It felt eerily like a dance you had never forgotten as both of you seemed to move in turn, reading each other's movements and knowing when to strike and dodge.  </p>
<p>Allison managed to pull Lila into a chokehold, her head dipping to whisper in Lila's ear.  </p>
<p>"I heard a rumor--" </p>
<p>"--that you stopped breathing," Lila finished with a smirk on her face.  </p>
<p>You heard Allison struggle to breathe as she dropped her hold on Lila. Lila pulled away from her, a smug and pleased expression on her face as she watched Allison suffocate. You reached out for the first big piece of metal you could feel with your power and flung it at Lila.  </p>
<p>Lila had one moment to notice the truck flying through the air towards her before she was nearly thrown back by the force of it landing exactly where she had been standing moments before.  </p>
<p>Luther was at Allison's side when you checked on her, so you decided to advance on Lila, knowing instinctively that Luther would be able to save her.  </p>
<p>"It's just the two of us now," you told Lila as you walked towards her.  </p>
<p>She had landed just far enough away that she was nearly on the other side of the house.  </p>
<p>Lila took a moment to brush the snow off her knees before she turned to look at you. "You know, Mum told me to go for you first." </p>
<p>"Why?" You couldn't help but wonder. Of everyone in the Hargreeves family, you would assume the biggest target would be on Five's back.  </p>
<p>"Who knows? But I've got to admit, I'm not too fond of the way you've got Diego wrapped around your finger." </p>
<p>"I'm not too fond of the way you've taken to kidnapping him because he won't spent time with you any other way," you countered as you kept watch of her movements, knowing that she was trying to catch you off-guard.  </p>
<p>"I love him," Lila insisted with a scoff as she placed her hands on her hips.  </p>
<p>"That's sweet," you mused with a sneer. "But I was here first." </p>
<p>You barely had a moment to prepare before Lila was launching herself at you. You fended off her attacks and even managed to use the metal on her to propel her back a few steps.  </p>
<p>"Is that how you want to play it?" She asked with a scowl as she regained her footing. "Alright," she drawled before you noticed her begin to glow as she started to showcase Vanya's power again.  </p>
<p>"Shit," you hissed before she hit you with a wave of energy that threw you into the side of the house. You felt your head connect with the wall before your vision darkened.  </p>
<p>"Nighty night," you heard Lila croon just as everything faded away.  </p>
<p>You woke to the sound of gunshots. You weren't even fully awake as you scrambled to your feet, anxious to find the source of the sound. You rushed towards the barn as you heard another gunshot, your feet struggling to carry you as fast as you wanted to go.  </p>
<p>You noticed The Handler standing over Lila's body. You felt your breath catch in your throat when you realized she was surrounded by the bodies of your loved ones. You felt rage consume you for a moment when you realized that The Handler must have told Lila to take you out first so that you wouldn't be able to stop The Handler from shooting the others if she wished. You quickly reached out with your power to pull the gun from The Handler's grasp and turned it on her. She barely had a moment to turn and see you before you shot her multiple times in the chest, taking a sick sense of satisfaction in seeing her fall lifelessly to the floor.  </p>
<p>You hastily dropped the gun before you helplessly let your feet carry you towards Diego's body. You couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu as you cradled his face in your hands. The dream you had in the federal building felt entirely too prophetic for your taste as Diego failed to respond to your touch.  </p>
<p>You felt a sob tear free from your mouth as you pulled him into your arms. He was so limp and lifeless that you couldn't help but clench your eyes shut and hope that it was all just a terrible dream. When you opened your eyes and noticed Klaus' body sprawled over a hay bale, you felt yourself begin to shake at the terrible reality you were faced with.  </p>
<p>Somehow, you were the last Hargreeves standing.  </p>
<p>"No," you foolishly denied with a quick shake of your head. You managed to make yourself look down at Diego, hating the way he was staring sightlessly up at you. "No," you repeated in a firmer tone. "You can't leave me. Not like this. Please, Diego. Just wake up. Wake up, wake up, wake up," you chanted as you took him by the shoulders and shook him in an inane attempt to make him suddenly come back to life.  </p>
<p>You felt like your whole world was going to break apart when he didn't respond.  </p>
<p>"I love you," you shakily admitted as you forced your fingers to unclench from around his shoulders. A tear slipped down your face as you choked back another sob. "We never seem to have enough time together, do we?" You couldn't help but ask as you brushed your fingers lightly over his cheek, managing to smear the spatter of blood marring his skin. "But I'd give anything to just have you back with me for one more minute." </p>
<p>You were startled by the sound of someone gasping for breath not far from where you were kneeling. You quickly glanced up, catching a glimpse of Five's chest sluggishly still moving as he struggled to breathe.  </p>
<p>"Five!" You called before you hastily stood and rushed to his side. You felt a gun heading towards the barn as you dropped to the floor next to Five. You were quick to reach out and pull the gun away from the man standing in the doorway of the barn. You cast it aside, not truly caring in that moment if you lived or died if you were going to be left all alone in the world.  </p>
<p>"Hey, hey, hey," you said as you attempted to sooth Five. You could see blood trailing down from the corner of his mouth as he attempted to hold on. "It's going to be okay, Five. You're going to be okay."  </p>
<p>Five blinked up at you before you noticed his hands slowly come up. They were shaking as a weak, blue glow began to emanate from them.  </p>
<p>"Can you use your power, Five?" You couldn't help but wonder as you brushed his hair off his forehead. "I know it must hurt, but you're our only hope." You couldn't help the bark of shocked, hysterical laughter you let out when you thought of how proud Diego would be to hear you referencing Star Wars. You brought up a trembling hand to cup Five's face, noticing that he was still attempting to use his power. "I can't do this alone," you confessed as tears still tracked down your cheeks. "I don't want to live without you or the others. But I'll understand if you can't do this," you assured him with what you hoped was a sincere smile. "I know you're tired. So, if you need to rest, then rest." </p>
<p>You noticed Five's eyes briefly close, a tear managing to escape from the corner of his eye, before he clenched his jaw. His eyes opened to consider you for another moment before you noticed the blue glow from his hands begin to grow.  </p>
<p>You woke to the sound of a gunshot. You weren't even fully awake as you scrambled to your feet, anxious to find the source of the sound. You could just barely make out the faint impression of raised voices coming from the barn. You rushed towards the building, hoping you weren't too late.  </p>
<p>You caught sight of a man standing in the doorway of the barn, The Handler lying dead on the floor, and your loved ones safe and sound as they considered the stranger. You also couldn't help but notice that Lila seemed to be missing from the group.  </p>
<p>You were quick to pull the gun out of the man's hands and aim it at him.  </p>
<p>"Wait, Y/N," Five stalled you with a raised hand. You noticed he also had a gun trained on the man, but he slowly moved to drop it. He raised his hands, as if showing he was unarmed. "Enough," he decided as he met the stranger's eyes.  </p>
<p>The stranger didn't move or say anything for a moment before he slowly dipped his head in a nod. He glanced at the others before he turned to leave, brushing past you on his way out of the barn. He stopped and turned towards you, wordlessly holding his hand out for his gun.  </p>
<p>You shook your head, offering him an apologetic wince. "I'll be keeping this."  </p>
<p>The man considered you for a moment before he sighed and turned away. You watched him walk away before you moved into the barn to meet the others, carefully stepping around The Handler's body on your way to Diego. You were amused by the sight of Diego lying on Luther, wondering what had prompted him to tackle Luther in the first place.   </p>
<p>"I almost had her. Why the hell did you stop me?" Luther asked as he looked up at Diego.  </p>
<p>"Because she deserves a second chance," Diego answered before he held out his hand towards you, silently asking for help.  </p>
<p>You groaned, instinctively knowing they were talking about Lila, before you helped Diego and then Luther up from the floor of the barn. "Always the hero, huh?" </p>
<p>"Savin' lives, baby," Diego agreed before he pulled you into his arms.  </p>
<p>"You know, your ex-girlfriend knocked me out. I don't think I'm as willing to give her a second chance as you are," you told him as you wrapped your arms around him.  </p>
<p>"If she tries to hurt you again, then I'll deal with her. Don't worry." </p>
<p>You quirked an eyebrow at him before you grinned up at him. "No, <i>I'll</i> deal with her," you promised.  </p>
<p>"So, who the hell was that guy?" Klaus interjected as he waved towards the doorway. "Why did he kill that lady and why didn't he try to kill the rest of us?" </p>
<p>Before Five could answer, the sound of Sissy calling for help reached you.  </p>
<p>"Harlan!" Vanya called as she took off towards the sound of Sissy's voice.  </p>
<p>The rest of you followed Vanya down a set of stairs to see Harlan still struggling with a surge of power. Vanya threw herself through the wall of the vortex and fell to her knees just before Harlan.  </p>
<p>"I'm going to help, Harlan," Vanya promised as she reached out to grab his hands. "I'm so sorry," she said before you noticed her seemingly begin to pull Harlan's borrowed power back into herself.  </p>
<p>There was a sudden burst of energy as Vanya fell back to the floor. You noticed the vortex fade as Harlan blinked around the room in confusion.  </p>
<p>"Harlan," Sissy breathed in relief as she rushed towards him. She wrapped her arms around her son, pressing a brief kiss to the crown of his head, before she shot Vanya a grateful look.  </p>
<p>You couldn't help but feel an immense sense of pride as you watched Sissy whisper words of comfort to her son. Vanya had insisted that she could help him and she did. She had come such a long way from that doomed concert back in 2019. You remembered her rage and fury as she lashed out with her powers, intent on killing you all if she had to, but just moments ago she had used her power to protect you all.  </p>
<p>You noticed the looks of awe, wonder, and pride that adorned the faces of the others as they all watched Vanya. When she looked back to the rest of you, a pleased grin began to form on her face as she noticed the attention she was receiving.  </p>
<p>Diego put his arm around your shoulders before reeling you into his side. He planted a kiss to your forehead, prompting you to wrap an arm around his waist in an effort to get closer to him.  </p>
<p>"So, did we win?" Klaus asked as he gestured towards Harlan. "Is it over <i>now</i>?" </p>
<p>"Yeah, I think it is," Luther said as his shoulders slumped in apparent relief. "At least for now." </p>
<p>While Diego and Five met with Herb and another ally from the Temps Commission, you attempted to help get everyone back up to the house.  </p>
<p>You grimaced when Sissy seemed to notice the hole in her living room wall.  </p>
<p>"Yeah," you sighed as you glanced to her and then away, feeling guilty even though it wasn't your fault. "Sorry about that." </p>
<p>"You know what? Don't even worry about it," Sissy murmured before shooting you a tiny smile. "I'm thinkin' Harlan and I are going to need a change of scenery anyways."  </p>
<p>Sissy helped Harlan back towards his bedroom, a steadying hand on his lower back as she helped him along.  </p>
<p>"Well, we've got ourselves a way home," you heard Five say as he stepped through the front door. He held up the briefcase in his hands, a smirk on his face as he considered it.  </p>
<p>"I have to go talk to Sissy," Vanya said before she turned to hurry down the hallway.  </p>
<p>Diego made his way over towards you as the others began to talk about going home. You had spent so much time in the 60s longing for the future, but now that your trip back to 2019 was practically guaranteed, you couldn't help but feel a little bit wary.  </p>
<p>"So, are you ready to get out of here?" Diego asked as he came to a stop in front of you.  </p>
<p>"I'm scared," you admitted with a hesitance you rarely felt around Diego now. "I'm worried that everything will be different. What if we get there and everything is worse? What if it changes everything? Changes <i>us</i>?" </p>
<p>"It won't matter," Diego insisted as he offered you a fond smile. "Because at least we'll have each other." </p>
<p>You rolled your eyes, moving to wrap your arms around him. "You're such a sap," you accused as you brushed your lips against his.  </p>
<p>"Only for you," he said before he pulled you into a kiss.  </p>
<p>"So, I'm going to try to call Jack," Luther interrupted, prompting you to pull away from Diego.  </p>
<p>"Seriously? Again?" Diego groaned as he turned an exasperated glare on Luther. "Are you ever going to stop doing that?" </p>
<p>"Probably not," Luther answered before he turned his focus back on you.  </p>
<p>"Do you think that's wise?" You couldn't help but ask. You knew Jack's fate, and while you wished you could help him escape from it, you knew that trying to change the past would likely only fuck up the future.  </p>
<p>"I don't know. But I have to try. Are you with me?" </p>
<p>“Yeah," you agreed before you brushed a brief kiss against Diego's lips. "I'll be right back," you told him before you followed Luther towards the kitchen.  </p>
<p>You weren't really sure what to feel when Luther was unsuccessful in contacting Jack.  </p>
<p>"At least you tried," you attempted to console him. "It's all you could have done." </p>
<p>"Yeah," Luther sighed before he shook his head. "Should have known it wouldn't matter." </p>
<p>You weren't really sure what to say, so when Luther left the kitchen in favor of tracking down Allison, you went outside in the hopes of finding Diego.  </p>
<p>You found him sitting on the front steps, Vanya's head on his shoulder and his head resting on hers as he comforted her. You could only guess what had happened between her and Sissy as you moved to join them on the stairs.  </p>
<p>You weren't sure how long you three sat there in silence. You couldn't help but think that after the chaos of the past few days, watching the sun set with two of your favorite people was the ending to the whole ordeal you didn't realize you needed.  </p>
<p>When night fell, you joined the others on the front lawn as you all crowded around the briefcase.  </p>
<p>"Everyone ready?" Five checked as he glanced at each of you.  </p>
<p>"Let's do it, yeah," Luther agreed with a nod.  </p>
<p>You were standing between Luther and Diego as you watched Five consider the briefcase in his hands. You felt a thrill shoot through you at the promise of finally going home. You hoped that everything was put right and the day somehow saved from the apocalypse of 2019. You wanted nothing more than to drag Diego to your apartment, lock the door in an attempt to block out the rest of the world and its problems, and spend days learning him in each and every way possible.  </p>
<p>"Okay. Here--" </p>
<p>"Wait!" Klaus called, bringing everyone's attention to him. He grimaced before he muttered something under his breath and then jogged over towards the porch. He grabbed the cowboy hat that was sitting on the railing before turning back towards the group.  </p>
<p>"Fifty bucks if we leave him here," Diego muttered to Five.  </p>
<p>"Try it and see what happens," you threatened him, squeezing his hand in warning.  </p>
<p>Klaus rejoined the group, tipping the hat briefly before he grinned. "I've always wanted one of these," he confessed as he ran his fingers over the brim of the hat. He nodded to Five before he moved to grab Luther's and Vanya's hands.  </p>
<p>Five sighed before he opened the briefcase. A blue light enveloped you all, reminding you of when you left 2019 to escape the apocalypse. This time, it wasn't Five's power that was taking you to a place unknown, but a device that was bringing you back home.  </p>
<p>It seemed like you closed your eyes in Dallas in 1963 and opened them in the foyer of the Academy in 2019.  </p>
<p>You saw Five move to rest the briefcase on the floor before he picked up a newspaper that was left on the table in the foyer.  </p>
<p>"What day is it?" Luther asked as he dropped his hold on your hand.  </p>
<p>"April second, 2019," Five answered as he shook his head, a look of near-disbelief on his face. "Day after the apocalypse," he muttered in awe.  </p>
<p>You listened to the others all express their relief at having stopped the apocalypse of 2019. You couldn't quite believe it yourself. You had worried that you would drop into a post-apocalyptic future. You thought that you would be too late or that you still wouldn't be able to fix the first apocalypse, even after averting the second one.  </p>
<p>"I don't know about you guys, but I need a drink," Klaus exclaimed as he threw his arms in the air, nearly knocking off his stolen cowboy hat in the process.  </p>
<p>"Best idea I've heard in a while," you murmured as you let yourself sway into Diego's side.  </p>
<p>You shared a grin with him as Klaus moved to hug Vanya and Luther when they agreed to join him for a drink.  </p>
<p>Klaus suddenly knocked into you, his arms coming up to wrap around you as he ignored Diego’s noise of protest. "We did it," he whispered in your ear.  </p>
<p>"We did," you couldn't help but say, his excitement nearly infectious.  </p>
<p>As Klaus started for the living room, likely seeking the bar, you heard Luther coax Allison into joining you all for a drink.  </p>
<p>You used your hold on Diego's hand to tug him towards the living room, still trying to process the fact that you were back in the Academy. It was still intact, because Vanya never destroyed it. You couldn't help but wonder if that meant that Grace and Pogo were still alive as well.  </p>
<p>You noticed Klaus was already behind the bar before you froze at the sight of the portrait over the fireplace.  </p>
<p>"Ben?" You wondered as you studied the painting. You felt your heart begin to race as you remembered your dream. What did this mean? Where was the portrait of Five? There was a sickening, sinking feeling in your gut that told you maybe you all had finally managed to make it back to 2019, but it surely wasn't the one you left behind.  </p>
<p>"Why is there a painting of Ben over the mantelpiece?" Diego asked as he took a few steps closer towards it, prompting you to follow him when he didn't let go of your hand.  </p>
<p>"I knew you'd show up eventually," you heard a voice call from the other side of the living room.  </p>
<p>You felt Diego tense at your side as you turned to look at Hargreeves.  </p>
<p>"Dad," Diego breathed with an awestruck tone.  </p>
<p>"You're alive," Luther observed with confusion.  </p>
<p>"And why shouldn't I be?" Hargreeves asked as he tilted his head to the side, carefully considering all of you.  </p>
<p>"Yeah," Luther got out on a helpless, perplexed laugh. "Yeah, you're right. I'm just happy we're home and together again." </p>
<p>"Home?" Hargreeves questioned with a frown. "This isn't your home." </p>
<p>You felt your fingers involuntarily clench tighter around Diego's at Hargreeves' words. They were all the proof you needed that something was wrong. Nothing added up, but hearing that the Academy was no longer meant for you? It felt like a very crucial part of your identity was being stripped away with each moment you spent in 2019.  </p>
<p>"What are you talking about? This is the Umbrella Academy," Allison pointed out, sounding just as lost as the rest of you likely felt.  </p>
<p>"Wrong again," Hargreeves offered with a quick shake of his head. "This is the Sparrow Academy." </p>
<p> “Okay, what the fuck is going on here?” You couldn’t help but wonder as you glanced around the room, helplessly searching for an answer you knew you wouldn’t find any time soon. Hargreeves was supposed to be dead. So, why was he standing in the same room as the rest of you and claiming that you were no longer welcome in the house you grew up in?  </p>
<p>You heard footsteps above and looked to the second-floor balcony over the bar to see five figures silhouetted there as they watched you and the others. Oddly enough, they were accompanied by a floating green cube.  </p>
<p>Diego immediately pulled one of his knives out of a holster, as if fearing an attack. You wanted to reassure him that it wasn't necessary, but you honestly weren't sure at this point. You didn’t know the people standing above you, but it was clear to you that they had powers. Hargreeves wouldn’t have bothered with them otherwise.  </p>
<p>And if Lila had powers and these strangers had powers as well, then how many of you were there? Why had Hargreeves hidden this revelation from you and the others? What else was he keeping a secret?  </p>
<p>You felt almost lightheaded as you tried to make sense of everything happening. Hargreeves was still alive and had apparently taken it upon himself to not only disband the Umbrella Academy before it could ever form, but had sought out other super-powered children to create an entirely different team. You couldn’t help but think that this was the consequence of revealing yourselves to him in the past. Apparently after meeting you all for that one disastrous dinner, he had evidently concluded you weren’t worth his time.  </p>
<p>It would have hurt if it wasn’t so on-brand for the man.   </p>
<p>You didn't think your return to the future could get any more fucked up with the realization that Hargreeves had somehow managed to avoid adopting you and the others, but it was at that moment when you were proven wrong.  </p>
<p>You felt your breath leave you in a rush as Ben walked forward, an unimpressed sneer on his face as he regarded you and the others.  </p>
<p>"Dad, who the hell are these assholes?" He asked as he glanced to Hargreeves.  </p>
<p>You caught the horrified and confused looks on everyone else's faces when they noticed a Ben you were all unfamiliar with very much alive and standing right in front of you.  </p>
<p>It was at that moment when you all uttered the one word that perfectly summed up what you were all thinking in that moment.  </p>
<p>"Shit."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I had the worst time writing this and then I ended up in the ER last week because of some health issues. So, while I did look this over, I didn't do my usual two edits because I'm so tired. So, I hope this was still okay! </p>
<p>If you want to find me on Tumblr, I'm <a href="https://midnightseance.tumblr.com/">midnightseance</a>. Sometimes I talk about what I'm currently working on. At the moment, I have an It fic to write, along with Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries, and True Blood. But don't worry! I'm still working on some TUA requests I have along with a Klaus series or two. </p>
<p>Thank you to everyone who has bothered to read this and leave kudos/comment/reblog/like/yell at me. You all can't possibly know how much it means to me and I love you all. Thanks for going on this journey with me and I hope to see you all when we (hopefully) get season three. 💖</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As always, any love for this is the best motivation. I've been so nervous to finally delve back into this 'verse, so if you read and enjoy this, then letting me know would make my day. 💖</p></blockquote></div></div>
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